Day-care course revived
By Brennan Clarke
Esquimalt News (Victoria)
Jun 07 2006
EXCERPT

Camosun College has reinstated the second year of an early childhood education program axed five years ago. The program's absence created a shortage of trained daycare staff in the Capital Region.

"I think that's terrific. I think it's absolutely necessary, I mean, child-care is in crisis," said Kim Miles, director of Rogers School Child Care Centre in Saanich.

"At least there will be more qualified people available, and then we can start to work on the wage issue with the government."

Linda Leone, head of Camosun's early childhood education program, said school officials informed her Friday that the course will be available to second year ECE students starting in September.

"Our college, I think, listened to the views of our community," Leone said. "We really didn't know how much damage the cut was going to do to the community, but it did....

Child-care providers across the Capital Region say the task of finding and retaining qualified staff, already difficult due to low wages, became a more difficult challenge because of the college's decision.

The first-year certificate qualifies graduates to work in day-care centres, but the second year is a requirement for those who work with infants and toddlers aged three and under. It's also a prerequisite to work with special needs children.

The second year of the program will have 32 spaces, with a handful reserved for first-year graduates who have completed their studies since 2001 and want to upgrade their qualifications.

However, increasing the number of training spaces won't solve the industry's other chronic problem - high turnover due to low wages that range from $10-$14 an hour.

"This is an issue about people doing work that's very undervalued in our society," Leone said.

"The public sector and the private, non-profits both have the same struggles in trying to retain staff and pay a living wage."

At the same time, Leone is worried about federal changes to child-care subsidies.

Stephen Harper's Conservative government will pay $1,200 per child, per month grant dubbed the universal child-care benefit.

Critics have pointed out that the money will go to higher income earners who don't really need it.

Leone said there's a lot of concern among child-care providers about Tory plans to cut existing subsidies, which recent studies have shown cover more than one-third of their costs.

A reduction in those subsidies would likely drive up the cost of day-care, she added.

"Parent fees alone can not support the system," Leone said.