Childcare services not keeping pace with demand: parent survey
Alaska Highway News
July 4, 2008 
By: Tessa Holloway

While childcare and early learning services are growing, they aren't keeping up with growing demand and parents still face barriers to accessing the service, according to a new survey conducted by Success by Six and Understanding the Early Years.

The problem extends beyond child care to difficulties accessing programs such as StrongStart and other early learning programs, the survey found.

"(We) are trying to stress the importance of increasing access to some of those services by offering them not just during the day, but at night and on the weekends when parents aren't working and can attend as a family," said Success by Six coordinator Lynn Locher.

Cost and transportation also pose major challenges for parents who don't have a vehicle or where the vehicle is being used by a spouse, as most community services are located where few children actually live, said Michelle LaBoucane, coordinator for Understanding the Early Years….

But child care, especially infant care for children up to three years old, is still a major concern.

According to Locher, the city needs more than five times the number of infant care spaces that currently exist, and could easily use another 100 or more spaces for children three to six years old.

She estimated in 2006 that about 300 infants up to age three need child care, but there are only about 50 spaces available and only one licensed infant care centre with a long waiting list.

"(Today) we might require about 400 spaces," she said.

As well, half of respondents said they had to take time off work because of problems with child care in the past year, while 32 per cent indicated a "strong likelihood" of quitting their jobs altogether.

"(Childcare) has such an impact on attracting families and workers to the community and retaining them here," said Locher.

New centers to solve the problem have also been slow in coming, as the much-hyped Oil and Gas Commission child care center that could have accommodated as many as 198 children is currently dead in the water.

Fort St. John Mayor Jim Eglinski said there's not a lot the city can do to help with childcare.

However, he added he is willing to provide whatever support he can and noted the city has provided land for childcare centers in the past.

He said his focus is on providing an indoor play center for winter.

"We have such a long winter, where do these kids go? We have to address that," he said, adding when the Enerplex is opened space may become available for such a facility.

Fifty-five parents were surveyed: 40 at the School District 60 Parent Conference in the beginning of May and another 15 through the Family Place and Child Care Resource and Referral Program in the following week.

The full survey results can be viewed at http://www.npcrs.bc.ca/