Child care crunch continues
Trail Daily Times
January 25, 2008
By: Lana Rodlie

The availability of child care in the West Kootenay has reached the crisis stage, according to the region's early years initiative coordinator.

Kim Adamson describes an economic double whammy in which families face a financial crunch from not being able to work, and businesses can't hire employees.

"From all accounts, nothing is getting better. Parents are absolutely desperate," she said.

Last year, the West Kootenay Children First office put together a report from parents and caregivers that drew over 60 responses. It showed 93 per cent of parents in the West Kootenay have had trouble finding child care, she said.

"I work on call at the hospital as a nurse," said one parent. "Because it's impossible to find last-minute child care, I avoid answering the phone if I think it is work calling because I can only turn down work so often and then they will take me off the on-call list. We can't live on just my husband's income."

Another respondent said she was unable to find a space for her child after the child-care placing she had closed down.

"Lack of child care has reduced my income significantly. I could be earning approximately $2,000 per month. Instead, I am stuck on welfare."

Those who found child care said it meant being financially solvent, being able to start a business, and work knowing that their children were in a safe and nurturing environment.

"Some stories were tragic," Adamson said. "People shuffling kids to several places 'to find whatever we can.' Is that good child care? Finding 'whatever they can'?"

Companies like Teck Cominco and Fortis are often trolling for new employees, she said, and are often told "'I'll come if there's child care. They call the local providers and are told, "maybe in two years."…

A lot of grandparents are finding themselves babysitting but many didn't plan to be doing it five days a week, she added. Young retirees want to have a life.

And getting more people to choose early childhood education as a career path is getting more difficult because the wages "are horrible."

"We need to have a public policy and funds to back it, that every child that needs it will have quality child care. It makes sense. If businesses can't find employees - it's too simple. It's a solution and quality child care is good for kids."…