Child-care providers fight for staff; Shortage provincewide putting pressure on to recruit, retain educators
Okanagan Sunday
January 27, 2008
By: J.P. Squire

Child-care providers in Kelowna are so desperate for early-childhood educators that they often compete with each other to attract staff.

"We certainly have a shortage in Kelowna, but it's not just happening in our community; it's happening provincewide," said Lynn Burgat, executive director of the Kelowna Child Care Society which provides a wide range of services to child-care providers and parents.

"We're having difficulty recruiting and retaining early childhood educators (ECEs). Probably a big part of that is the wage: the going wage is anywhere from $12 to $14 an hour to start, sometimes as low as $10. It's pretty low when you think of an entry position that carries so much responsibility."…

"In the last year, we have seen a small increase in the wages because originally it was $8 and $10 an hour, so we are seeing it slowly increase, just not quick enough. We've actually had a crisis for the last several years."…

"Unfortunately, everybody is fighting for the same staff," she said.

When one centre offers 50 cents an hour more, another could lose its early childhood educator.

"At the end of the day, who is paying for those wages? Really, it's parents because the money has to come from somewhere. The small child-care operating grant that parents receive from the government is nowhere enough to cover the cost of offering a child-care program. And the biggest cost for any program is the staff.

"It's difficult to be parents with two children or even one right now. Some parents in Kelowna are forced to have two jobs because it's expensive to live here now. It is challenging."

Some day cares are threatening to close because they can't get ECEs.

"We don't even have substitutes. Early childhood educators can't even get sick because there is no one to replace them," said Burgat, estimating Kelowna could easily use another 30.

Okanagan College's one course is always filled and its graduates "are snapped up very quickly" to replace those leaving for other professional opportunities….