City's child care can't meet demand
Vancouver Island News Group - Nanaimo News Bulletin
July 25, 2008
By: Jenn Marshall

Spaces fall far short of what's needed. Province last in child-care report

B.C. was dead last in a set of child care report cards released by the Canadian Labour Congress last month.

The province earned an overall grade of D - minus, citing lack of affordability, quality staff and accessibility as being the main issues. Information in the report came from public data provided by federal or provincial governments.

The report states that between 2001 and 2006, the average full-time fees for children aged three to five increased by $672 per year (from $5,928 to $6,600).

In 2006, the average B.C. caregiver made $12.58 an hour. The report also found that while about three-quarters of mothers are in the labour force in the province, there are only enough regulated spaces for 14 per cent of children….

Child care spaces are falling short of community need, say Nanaimo service providers and parents.

Carmen Barclay, coordinator of programs and services at PacificCARE, a child- care resource and referral program in the central and upper Island region, said spaces and trained staff are lacking in the Harbour City.

"If you're in the right place at the right time, you could be very lucky," she said. "A lot of kids are aging out of the waiting lists."

Barclay said the service gets about 130 calls per month from parents looking for care.

She said parents commonly tell her they can't find a facility that suits their parenting philosophy, or because of space limitations they're forced to take their children to two or more different places. Some are forced to quit work and stay at home because they are unable to find quality care.

Barclay said the shortage is partially due to wages - the early childhood educator program is two years of schooling, but the average wage in the field is around $12 an hour.

Barclay said affordable child care in the Nanaimo area is non-existent.

"People are paying $1,600 per month for child care. That's another mortgage payment."

Dianne Magor, executive director of PacificCARE, said the organization is hoping to partner with other agencies and government to expand services and address the child care shortage.

Ian Kalina, executive director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Vancouver Island, said despite an aging population, demand for child care in Nanaimo is growing.

"Parents don't have the luxury to be on a wait list for long," he said.

Kalina said the province lacks a comprehensive framework for child care to control both fees and wages and ensure both are managable. The importance of a child care system goes beyond meeting the needs of working families, he said.

"The money we spend in the early years, if we do it right, saves society millions of dollars," said Kalina. "It's all about brain development. What licensed child care provides is a minimum standard."

Parent David Murchie said not only are parents finding places full, but they also struggle to find care that fits their schedules.

Murchie said priority is often given to parents who want full-time care, leaving those who work shifts or only require three days a week out of luck….