Cutbacks a disgrace
MetroValley Newspaper Group -- Surrey Leader
31 Jan 2007

Letters

#1 - Chris Hamilton

I was stunned to read in The Leader about the decision by the Minister of State for Child Care in B.C. to cut off the funding and eliminate Surrey's Child Care OPTIONS referral service, which is just a small part of a policy that will drastically effect or eliminate 44 Child Care Resource & Referral programs in B.C.

Like many of its counterpart services across the province, Surrey's Child Care OPTIONS is an active part of our community in helping parents ensure safe and quality child care. Beyond assisting overwhelmed parents, the Child Care OPTIONS King George Highway office also hosts regular workshops and seminars for parents and child-care professionals alike.

Attending such workshops was enlightening and inspiring for me and I had planned to attend more. Child Care OPTIONS' e-mail newsletter was also a valuable free resource of information such as toy recalls and events relevant to young families in our community.

Child Care OPTIONS always had a presence at community events to let young families know where they can get help for a variety of reasons beyond child care.

This funding slash is more than just eliminating referral services, it is putting out of work a dedicated team of our best child advocates and parental support. The kids of Surrey, and across B.C., deserve better.

# 2 - Karen Pedersen, Delta

I am a single mother on a fixed income. I have used the many services of OPTIONS and have found them vital in raising my daughter. OPTIONS referred me to my daycare and offered workshops on parenting with childcare provided.

We have used the OPTIONS toy library and book library. We have dropped in for play groups and community kitchen. Right from the start was instrumental in helping me understand the differences in personality and parenting styles. The professionals answered questions and concerns about our newborns and gave us resources and support. All this for minimal cost.

I even dropped in to the Licence Not Required Daycare program and saw first hand how they have the opportunity to use the space, resources and facilities offered by the program. It was wonderful to see all these children in an exciting structured environment: One that puts a parents' worries and concerns to rest.

My baby had colic and I had an emergency C-section. My husband divorced me and asked us to move away. OPTIONS was there to help pick up the pieces. They provided child-minding while I attended many support groups for single mothers.

My life and the life of my child would have been a very different, even ugly, existence without OPTIONS. I cannot emphasize enough how wrong it is to shut it down. It is a disgrace that in a Province where we have a budget surplus, we are cutting back on the future of Canada.

We need to invest in our kids. It is the most important investment there is.