Governments must properly invest in child-care education
The Daily News -- Kamloops
04 Oct 2006
Letters -- By: M. Lavack

EXCERPT

Re: Conservative child-care plan.

... Indeed, the current Tory plan fails to meet the needs of families and will continue to do so while there remains a lack of understanding regarding the benefits to society if we invest in the early years now.

An exploration of quality child-care programs and current university level training programs for early childhood educators would cast enlightenment on what is taught in child care.

Quality child care, in partnership with families, nurtures respect and understanding in an atmosphere of respect for the individual child's needs on all levels of social, emotional, intellectual and physical development.

When the current government does provide funding for additional child-care spaces, will there be additional funding to sustain these spaces?

Mr. Charbonneau notes that "stagnant wages relative to inflation have made stay-at-home parents almost impossible." Staff in child-care settings are primarily female and already at the lower level of the salary scale. Attention should be paid to attracting and maintaining qualified professionals with the provision of remuneration which recognizes their training and expertise.

Will there be a sufficient number of qualified staff to support additional spaces if these issues are not addressed?

We now have a service which relies on the dedication of some amazing people who, because they believe in the importance of their work, continue struggling to maintain the quality of service that contributes to ensuring that the children in their care will have a healthy beginning and will become contributing members of a society that cares about all people. Can we afford not to provide the very best for young children and their families -- pay now or pay later? There is no more important investment than in the next generation.