We'll have better daycare when we fund it properly
Vancouver Sun
June 26, 2008
Editorial By: Darryl Walker, President, B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union

When it comes to taking care of children, there's no question that quality matters most. Parents deserve access to a reporting system that shows child care settings are safe and provide high-quality care.

The databases The Vancouver Sun supplied to accompany Chad Skelton's articles on daycares Saturday have provided a clear path for the health authorities to make this information available to parents.

There are some limitations, however. The databases now rely on operator-reported incidents, so settings that are high-risk can include recently opened settings where there are no reports at all.

The provincial government should design a proper reporting system so parents get reliable information. But even if parents have more information, they don't have options. Waiting lists are so long and child care spaces so few.

Governments must provide the money to build a child care system that gives parents real choices.