Experiencing B.C.'s childcare crisis firsthand
MetroValley Newspaper Group -- Westender
26 Apr 2007

When Stephanie Redivo found out she was pregnant, one of her first concerns was signing up her unborn child for day care. She had heard too many horror stories from friends about their experiences.

"All I was hearing was how horrendous the waiting lists were," says the 31- year-old, who gave birth to daughter Elise five months ago. "Some of my friends have children who are three now, and they still haven't had a call about a place."

Stephanie and husband Alex, 37, decided they should get a headstart, and put their names down on waiting lists for 10 different childcare programs across Vancouver -- six months ahead of Elise's arrival.

"I have resigned myself to the fact that Elise is not going to get a space before I have to return to work in November," says Stephanie. "I'm hoping that some of my friends and I can share a nanny, but if that doesn't work out then I might have to go back to work part-time and rely on family, or even not work at all.

"Luckily, I have a lot of support, but what is a single mom to do?"

Redivo says the cost of care might also prohibit her from going back to work -- especially if she were to have a second child. "We could be paying up to $2, 400 each month for day care if we had two children of similar ages, and at that price it might not even make sense for me to go back to work.

"I'm just hoping that if everyone rallies around, then the government will pay attention to what's happening."