Grand Forks Gazette

The issue of unlicensed daycare is a polarizing topic in Grand Forks.

There are some people who are in favour of increasing the number of children that can be cared for by an unlicensed (licence not required or LNR) provider and there are some that have expressed concern for having people leave their children with those that haven’t been licensed.

According to the province, people holding a family care licence may care for a maximum of seven children at any given time and people that don’t hold licence may only tend to two children, not including their own, relations or sibling group.

There have been some locally that have been tending to more than two, that don’t have licence and have been shut down by Interior Health and it is easy to see why in a general sense.

While LNR providers can register with the a Child Care Resource and Referral program (and become Registered Licence Not Required providers or RLNR), they aren’t required to and people that haven’t been licensed might not meet some requirements crucial to tending to children.

LNR providers that don’t register might not have had a background or criminal record check by the province and might not have the necessary training – including First Aid – these are children that the people are dealing with and only the proper sort of person should be providing care….

Some say that aren’t enough licensed daycare providers in small rural areas such as Grand Forks and there is a movement afoot to possibly increase the number for LNR and RLNR providers.

Some people have said that applying for licence is an arduous task and there has been known to be a lot of red tape when dealing with government but the bottom line is getting licence or registering at the very least is in the best interests of children.