News
January 15, 2003
http://otherpress.douglas.bc.ca
New Child Care Program
Devastating: BCGEU
Eileen Velthuis
News Editor
© page 4
The British Columbia Government
Employee’s Union (BCGEU) calls the
provincial government’s new Child Care
Operating Funding Program “devastating
for BC families.”
The program, which will take effect April
1, 2003, will affect most daycare providers
and those parents and children who use day-
care across the province.
The Child Care Operating Funding pro-
gram will be replacing the still relatively new
Out-Of-School Care Transition funding
program, as well as the Infant/Toddler
Incentive grant program and _ the
Compensation Contribution program—
effectively integrating the three programs
into one.
Last May, the provincial government
announced the Out-Of-School Care transi-
tion funding program. That program con-
sisted of transition funding in the amount of
10.1 million that would be made available
to licensed providers of group out-of-school
child care who were then receiving funding
under the current assistance program, so
that a new sustainable child care funding
system could be implemented. Not quite a
year later, systems for child care funding in
the province are being revamped yet again.
As well as the programs being merged into
one, government subsidized child care
spaces in daycares will be increased from
45,000 to 70,000. Under the new system,
more than 1,400 licensed daycare providers
will also be eligible for funding for the first
time.
Douglas College has had an on-site day-
care at the New Westminster campus since
1985, and later opened a second daycare site
at the David Lam campus. Daycare
Administrator Sibylle Trimble explained
that Douglas’ daycare is a non-profit society
that supports itself by the fees it charges par-
ents, and that any new government funding
structure “would affect us in a positive man-
ner, but [the funding is given out] strictly on
an enrollment basis...we're limited to 25
children per centre.”
She also said that she’s not sure if the day-
care will even be receiving the funding yet.
“You can apply for [the program] but it
doesn't guarantee you'll get it,” she said.
“Right now it’s a wait-and-see game.”
However, there’s still doubt in the com-
munity that any changes will be for the bet-
ter.
“What was wrong with the old systems?”
asks Maple Ridge mother Shawna
McKenzie.
“I'm going to be looking for a daycare for
the other preg
like a bunch of pointless changes,” she co
tinued. “I’m afraid if there’s funding cu
there will be more children in the dayca
than the daycare workers can handle, an
then my child’s at risk, or the cost will go u
even higher and I won't be able to afford it
The BCGEU echoes McKenzie’s stat
ments. BCGEU President George Heyma
stated in a press release that when the n
system is implemented, the cost will for
parents to come up with options other th:
daycare.
“Parents will have no choice but to leay
their children with neighbours or fami
members instead of trained early childhog
educators,” Heyman said.
The BCGEU said that the program is th
government's way of cutting childcare fun
ing by 40 per cent, and the difference will
made up by cutting early childhood educ
tors’ wages.
“Operators of licensed child cares will 1
forced to either raise fees, lay off staff or sh
down, like we're already seeing in th
Kootenays and _ Victoria,” Heyma
explained.
Trimble agrees that how much early chil
hood educators are paid is important.
“There’s a real difference in pay aroun
the province ...your daycare staff make q
break the centre. If you have good staff yd
want to keep them,” she said.
Organizations such as The Western Cana:
Family Child Care Association of BC, alot
with other organizations and care provider
have for the past few years been recognizin
the month of May as Child Care mont}
and have been stepping forward to celebra
our province’s child caregivers. Last y
British Columbia proclaimed May 15, 20
as being Child Caregiver Appreciation Da}
According to the proclamation, there we
over 200,000 children in out-of-scho
child care in BC in 2001. The idea was th
calling attention to the importance of chi
care would improve the quality and avai
ability of such services.
Now, the BCGEU wants to make su
that the government makes child care a pr
ority and provides “adequate funding 1
maintain decent wages for child care work
ers and ensure families have access to afforg
able, quality child care,” Heyman said.
For more information about child care j
BC or the new program, visit the govery
ment site
or tH
Western Family Child Care Associatioj
my son in the near future and it just “of