Who's responsible?: Child-care funding crunch has fingers pointing at two levels of government
The Daily News -- Kamloops
02 Feb 2007
By: Cam Fortems

Cuts to government subsidies for day care mean "parents will pay more and wait longer," New Democrat critic Claire Trevena told child-care advocates in Kamloops Thursday.

"Child-care referral centres will close and that's devastating."

Several hundred parents will make alternative arrangements on Tuesday, when both family and group day-care centres close in a day of protest.

Child-care advocates are frustrated in part because the federal and provincial governments are finger-pointing in each other's direction. Who is responsible?

"The finger should be pointed at the federal government for reneging on their promise of child care," said Trevena, who is B.C.'s Opposition Critic for Childcare, Early Childhood Development.

"It should also be pointed at the provincial government for cutting $40 million from the child-care budget."

TAG-TEAM CHILD CARE

Dozens of phone calls and a year after her second child, Joanne Etherington found the quality child care she needs for her two children -- at home.

Starting this weekend, the flight service specialist will alternate on tag-team shifts caring for her two young children along with her husband, who works out of town.

Despite help from the Child Care Resource and Referral Centre and another agency, she could not find care for Justine, 1, and Cole, two and a half years.

To accommodate her shift around her husband's hours, Etherington had to provide letters to her employer from child-care providers saying they had no spots. That was the only aspect of the search that was easy.

"We made dozens of phone calls. They said 'call us week to week and we'll take you.'

"That doesn't do it if you have a job and you're committed to a schedule. Employers don't want to hear that."

HUNDREDS WAITING

According to a survey completed in January by the local child-care resource and referral centre, there were 200 children on a wait list for family child care. Another 600 are on wait lists for group child-care throughout the city.

"There's preschool spaces out there, but no day-care spaces," said Mary-Ellen Everatt, executive director of the YM-YWCA's child-care resource and referral centre.

"Where do these children go? It would be nice to think there's some regulations."

Deanna Jones, who has operated a family daycare in Aberdeen for seven years, says she gets calls "almost daily" despite the fact she's listed being full and not accepting names for a waiting list.

"Occasionally they're in tears because they can't get anything," said Jones, whose waiting list consists of siblings of those already in her care.

"I had one parent tell me 'it doesn't matter to me whether it's quality. All I want is something clean and where my child is safe.' "

GETTING WORSE

Child-care providers say the situation will get worse in July, when the provincial government filters down the loss of millions of dollars in federal transfers.

The Tory government cut all programs that began under the previous Liberal government that offset expenses for parents, provided capital to build new child-care spaces, and supported care providers.

Instead, the Conservative government opted for a program that will see business create an estimated 25,000 spaces and a direct, $100 taxable cheque each month to parents with children under six years.

"That $100 from government was great for us," said Etherington. "But we need to find day care to put that towards."

The province will also reduce payments directly to family and group child-care providers that kept a lid on rate increases for parents.

CHILD CARE IN KAMLOOPS

Family child care, maximum of seven children in a home. Must be licensed by Interior Health Authority.

- 742 spaces

- 200 on wait list

- Typical wait time is two to 24 months. Varies widely depending on hours required.

Group child care. Licensed and governed by ratios of children to early childhood educators.

- 650 spaces

- 615 on wait list

- Typical wait time is 12 to 24 months.

(based on January survey by Child Care Resource and Referral Centre.)