INSIDE DOUGLAS COLLEGE / JANUARY 30, 1990

 

 

 

Employers consider child care for employees

A COMPANY GETTING INVOLVED
in its employees’ child-care needs
makes good business sense, re-
search shows. But many Canadian
business people don’t have the in-
formation they need to get in-
volved.

Now all that is changing.

On Tuesday, January 23, person-
nel managers from various British
Columbia businesses attended a
one-day seminar to receive up-to-
date information about employer-
supported child care.

Held at Simon Fraser
University’s Harbour Centre Cam-
pus in Vancouver, the seminar was
part of the second phase of a nation-
al project currently being co-re-
searched by eight members of
Douglas College and the University
of British Columbia Child Study
Centre. "To our knowledge, it’s the
first time in Canada that a com-
munity college has worked
together with a university in direct
applied research," says Douglas Col-
lege faculty member and project re-
searcher Carol Ebner.

The seminar was attended by
45 members of the Industrial Rela-
tions Management Association of

British Columbia, a group com-
prised largely of human resour-
ces/ personnel managers.
Participants viewed a video

prepared by the U.B.C.-Douglas

 

Employer-supported
child care initiatives
can assist employers
both in attracting
and retaining
needed employees.

 

 

 

College research team, which
presented an overview of needs, op-
tions and benefits of employer-sup-
ported child-care initiatives in this
province.

The seminar aimed to examine
knowledge and attitudes about
employer-supported child care and
show participants the many ways
their companies can get involved in
this key issue.

As well as viewing the video,
seminar participants were ad-
dressed by guest speaker Dr.
Sandra Burud, of California.

 

Printshop review: your comments please

Whether you have complaints or com-
pliments we would like to hear anything

you have to say about printing and
duplicating (and related services) at
Douglas College.

The Print Shop Unit Review Commit-
tee (Terry Leonard, Brad Barber, Howard
Eaton, and Brenda Jack) has now entered
the data collection phase of its review.

 

Some heavy users of duplicating and printing services are ian contacted
to learn about their views and experiences. In addition, a random sample
of all employees will receive a questionnaire.

If you have some comments you would like to bring to the attention of
the Committee, but do not get an opportunity to do so through the above
mechanisms, please feel free to give any of the Committee members a call
or to write them a note. Bob Cowin is serving as secretary to the Commit-
tee; comments can also be sent through him to the Committee. @

Burud, the president of a consult-
ing firm, has done extensive re-
search on the topic of
employer-supported child care.

A panel of provincial experts
on the topic rounded off the day’s
presentations. The panel included
Dr. Margie Mayfield (researcher on
employer-supported child care,
University of Victoria), Jennifer Par-
sons (benefits administrator, South-
land Inc.) and Gayle Davies
(manager for child care, Ministry of
Health).

The results of the day’s re-
search will be released to business
and academic communities across
Canada in June.

Prior to the seminar, Ebner
said, "Most personnel managers are
beginning to develop a general
awareness of employer-supported
child care."

Ebner pointed out that research
conducted in the United States
shows that employer-supported
child care initiatives can assist
employers both in attracting and
retaining needed employees.

The issue of child care is far
reaching. It affects single mothers
who work outside the home, single
fathers, couples and businesses.
"It’s everyone’s concern," Ebner
says.

The U.B.C.-Douglas College Co-
Research Project, which began in
September, 1988, is funded by the
Child Care Initiatives Fund, Health
and Welfare Canada.

Team members include: Dr.
Glen Dixon, co-investigator (U.B.C.
Child Study Centres, Faculty of
Education); Dr. John McKendry, co-
investigator (Dean of Applied
Programs, Douglas College); Carol
Ebner, project researcher (faculty,
Douglas College); Dr. Stephen
Bath, U.B.C.-Douglas College re-
search liaison project manager; and
project research assistants: Ingrid
Edelmann, Alice Harder, Mariam
Larson. @