CORNER BROOK — Child care and early-childhood education is of critical importance, says the minister of Child, Youth and Family Services.
Charlene Johnson was in Corner Brook Saturday to address a child-care conference hosted by the Family Outreach Resource Centre. Themed “Plan for Play,” approximately 60 child-care providers attended.
“It is critically important, not only for the children and their development, but for our economy as a whole,” Johnson said.
The brain develops most during the first three years, she said, thus it is important learning-based child care — with properly trained educators — be available for children. One aspect of that is the promotion of regulated spaces, something which helps ensure proven practices are followed and also the child-care setting is monitored.
“That’s not to say there are not good unregulated spaces out there, because there are,” she said. “I know them, because I have friends who have children in unregulated spaces and they have their daily lunch and play activities all outlined for them.”
Often times, it is also family members or close friends who provide early child care. The minister feels it is important to encourage everybody to become regulated.
Johnson said the provincial government, now through her department, has been helping improve upon accessibility and affordability issues facing young families. In the past eight years, she said there has been an increase from 4,500 regulated spaces to 6,600. However, she said the improvements fall short for the 40,000 children between 0-12 in this province.
With the 10-year child-care strategy the province is beginning to work on, along with the introduction of various initiatives and subsidies, the minister is confident the future is looking better.
While it is not solely a woman’s issue, Johnson said the accessibility of early-child care also allows more females to enter or re-enter the workforce.
“Really, it is about parental choice and we want to have enough accessibility that parents have choice,” she said.
A lack of accessibility and affordability can be an obstacle for many young families in finding a suitable space. However, Johnson encourages parents to do as much homework as possible when placing their child in the care of another.
“We just have to be very careful and feel secure in where our children are going, and try to do our due diligence to make sure they are safe,” she said. “Even if you are putting your child in an unregulated home, you can ask for a police background check or certificate of conduct, or do a home visit beforehand.”
