Childcare service hits new low
Richmond News
April 18, 2008
Letters By: Chris Parry

The Editor,

Re: "Minister responds on daycare," News, April 15.

In response to Linda Reid's latest "my department is doing everything just great" missive, I'd like to ask the minister a simple question: Is there a single vacant daycare spot anywhere in Richmond?

The minister takes up copious column inches telling us how the Ministry of Childcare is dishing out more "capital funding" than it has previously, but she seems to miss the most pressing -- indeed the only pressing -- point: "Where are the vacant spaces?"

I could give a damn whether Linda Reid's bureaucrats are chewing up more taxpayer dollars this year than last.

What I want, and what we as taxpayers deserve, is a hope in hell that our children will get a daycare spot sometime before the age where they start elementary school.

…. My own child has been on about a dozen group daycare waiting lists since he was six months old.

Just a few weeks ago we were pleasantly surprised to hear from one of those daycares offering him a spot; the first such call in two years.

Surprise quickly turned to shock, however, as we were told that our lad is too young for the open spot, and won't qualify for it for another six months.

During that time the spot could be 'held open' for him, if we were willing to pay for it now, but keep him at home until September: $3,500 to ensure my kid gets childcare -- how very generous.

This has got to be a new low -- asking parents to be on dozens of waiting list, or take part in lotteries, or 'camp out' to get vacant child care spots is an affront to us all. But asking us to pay for a spot we can't use, just so nobody else can get it ... well, suffice to say our lad has one less childcare option going forward.

Of course, all this could be sorted out overnight if the minister just decided to change childcare regulations to allow each childcare facility to take on one more child per childcare worker.

Yes, that would result in a lowering of standards, but I'll take that over having to wait three years (maybe) for a spot.

Linda Reid's sole responsibility as head honcho of the Ministry of Childcare is to provide childcare spaces to the taxpayers of this province.

If she can't do that, then she needs to take a stroll across the hallway, tap on the door of her boss, and tell him to find someone who can. Enough's enough.