Childcare remains crisis
Cowichan Valley Citizen
April 17, 2009
Opinion By: Mary Dolan

Dear Editor:

For the record, both the federal and provincial governments have responded to my letters concerning the UNICEF report on child care. The federal government has refuted the UNICEF Inocenti report which stated that Canada tied dead last with Ireland in services to young children. (www.uniccef.ca/ir8)

Provincial Minister for Child Care, Linda Reid, continues to insist on how much the B.C. government is doing and has done for childcare and early education. However I believe that child care and early education in B.C. is in crisis due to lack of stable funding and thus an inability to recruit and retain qualified staff. It needs to be noted that the childcare operating funding (2003) replaced the wage subsidy incentive, funding program. In 2007 CCOF was cut back.

Capital funding has created new spaces but many centres and family day care homes have closed. Social planning Cowichan (Dec. 08) stated that in this valley we only have enough regulated spaces to serve 48 per cent of the 4,862 children who require spaces. Public health nurses, social workers and supported childcare services recognize quality childcare as a necessary community resource. More funding for spaces and highly trained early childhood education practitioners are needed. (UNICEF benchmark)

B.C. has the highest rate of child poverty in Canada and no poverty reduction plan. Childcare is an intrinsic part of poverty reduction plans in four Canadian provinces. Kudos to the City of Duncan for supporting the public call for a Poverty reduction plan in B.C. (Jan 26/09 council minutes).

It is unwise action for the provincial government to reduce income assistance to parents when their child turns three years, thus forcing parents to work, often for low wages with out availability of quality childcare. Society is likely to feel the impact on families. The resulting stress leads to health and social issues, diminished school success and ultimately costs to the justice system.

The UNICEF report is a call to action. Leadership policy decisions need to be set in place based on existing research. Funding must be committed to implement a childcare plan (UNICEF benchmark). This century's reality is that the majority of parents are in the workforce. Let's not leave the care and education of young children to chance, let's start reaching the UNICEF benchmarks now.