Children deserve better
Richmond Review
Jan 18 2007
EDITORIAL

The already stressful process of finding child care spaces in Richmond and other parts of the Lower Mainland will soon become even more daunting for beleaguered parents.

For those without kids, imagine looking for a reliable place to fix your car, and not having the Better Business Bureau of the Lower Mainland to reference.

For parents, the existing child care resource and referral program, run by the non-profit Volunteer Richmond, is much more crucial.

They're not simply looking for a trusty mechanic to fix their sticky clutch.

They are seeking someone who's trustworthy and qualified enough to care for a much more precious asset: a child.

News earlier this month that the funding of the program will be cut came out of the blue.

At a time when finding daycare in Richmond can be exhaustive, this program filled a dire need.

Today, parents can dial a number and speak to someone about what's available in their neighbourhood, and whether that spot is properly licenced. Sure, in the future, an online database will likely replace the program. But parents and children deserve better. It's reassuring to talk to someone about child care, rather than surfing a website for information.

Minister of State for Childcare Linda Reid cited all the investments the province has made into child care in defending the decision to shutting down the service. But at a cost of $300,000 in Richmond, and $14 million province-wide, surely Victoria can afford to make this investment especially during such prosperous economic times.

Instead, all the province has given is excuses.

Reid blamed the cancellation of the federal government's Early Learning and Child Care Agreement for making the move necessary. The Liberal-led $455-million program was a casualty when the Conservatives took power and opted for a $100 monthly child benefit.

"While protecting services to our most vulnerable children is a priority, tough decisions needed to be made about how best to allocate existing resources," Reid said in a letter to the editor.

But what will Reid say in a few months when Victoria will surely announce yet another budget surplus? In the meantime, families will needlessly suffer.

Hopefully, no child will be harmed as a result of an unqualified caregiver deciding to hang a shingle outside their door and luring in an unsuspecting parent desperate for help.