Meeting a daycare need
Cariboo Press - Kelowna Capital News
December 2, 2008

Returning to work after a one year maternity leave can be stressful and difficult at the best of times. But that stress can multiply exponentially once the shocking lack of daycare is discovered.

A survey released last summer showed that there were only enough licenced daycare spaces to accommodate 22 per cent of the Central Okanagan's children under the age of six.

With long waiting lists at the majority of the centres, parents had to either give up their jobs or find other less preferable daycare alternatives.

The problem in Westside was so intense that some daycare providers were even being offered bribes to get their children put at the top of the waiting lists.

"I feel for these parents who need to get back into the work force, but can't find a licenced daycare for their child," said one caregiver in Westside who asked to remain anonymous.

"There's a lot of people here that can't rely on family help and they can't afford to be off work either. The lack of daycare facilities is a big problem."…