Question Period Note: DEPENDENT CARE

• Our government understands that when a member serves, the whole family serves with them and their health and well-being is also a priority.

• The Government is committed to supporting Canada’s Veterans and their families, and values the significant contributions that Veterans have made protecting Canadians.

• We are committed to ensuring that Veterans receive the respect, support, care, and economic opportunities they deserve.

• The Government of Canada places the highest priority on ensuring Veterans and their families have the support and services they need, when and where they need it.

• Benefits and other services for Veterans’ family members may be offered when those services help the Veteran achieve their rehabilitation goals.

• The government can confirm that approximately $2.9 million was spent last year providing services to family members of 1,400 Veterans.

BACKGROUND – DEPENDENT CARE

Q1. How many individual dependents were funded for “Additional Dependent Care” under the “Rehabilitation Expenses - Other Than Training” in the past five years?

There were 106 Veterans who received funding for Additional Dependent Care (other than training) from Fiscal Years (FYs) 2014-2015 to 2018-2019. Veterans Affairs Canada is unable to report on the number of individual dependents as that is not captured in the data.

Q2. How many of those dependents were:
a) Five years old and under?
b) Six years to 18 years (school age)?
c) Adult dependents?

As mentioned above, the information on individual dependents is not captured in the data.

Q3. How much funding did Veterans Affairs Canada reimburse for the above Additional Dependent Care program in each of the past five years?

For FY 2018/19 reimbursed amount was $93,640.
For FY 2017/18 reimbursed amount was $74,387.
For FY 2016/17 reimbursed amount was $65,991.
For FY 2015/16 reimbursed amount was $19,535.
For FY 2014/15 reimbursed amount was $19,349.

Note: The dollars represent reimbursed amounts for Additional Dependent Care (other than training).

Q4. What program does Veterans Affairs Canada have to fund Additional Dependent Care for school age dependents when those dependents have unique needs?

Veterans Affairs Canada may pay for additional dependent care costs that a Veteran must incur to participate in the Rehabilitation Services and Vocational Assistance Program.

The intent of additional dependent care is to provide financial assistance to pay for additional care expenses incurred to look after the basic needs of a dependent at times when the Veteran is accessing rehabilitation services or participating in vocational training.

Paragraph 15 of the Rehabilitation Related Expenses - Other Than Training policy and paragraph 36 of the Vocational Rehabilitation and Vocational Assistance – Training Expenses policy provide the following guidance:
• the care is essential to ensure the personal safety or health of the individual for whom the care is provided or to maintain their activities of daily living;
• the substitute care is required when the client or spouse is participating in the Program;
• participant has the responsibility for arranging for paid temporary substitute care; and
• cost incurred is additional to the cost of any paid care that is already provided to the dependent.

Q5. What is the specific document source and wording for the determination that school age children with unique needs do not qualify for Additional Dependent Care?

School age children, with or without unique needs, are not excluded from Additional Dependent Care. As noted above, the purpose of additional dependent care support is to provide financial support for the Veteran who incurs additional childcare expenses while participating in rehabilitation services or vocational training. As the intent is to provide for the basic needs of a dependent, the policy does not address unique needs of a dependent/child. Veterans Affairs Canada Case Managers apply these policies in considering the care that is already in place for the child, and could support additional dependent care costs that are over and above the normal responsibility of the Veteran. These additional costs must be incurred directly as a result of the Veteran participating in the Rehabilitation Program.

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