Editor:
Is there sufficient daycare for children in South Surrey and White Rock that is affordable and flexible?
Based on our research, we believe this is not the case.
At our annual general meeting April 22, the provincial council of our club, Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW), updated our policy on early learning and childcare. That policy urges our provincial government to develop and implement a comprehensive and integrated plan based on the principles of quality, universality and accessibility, and to implement, as a top priority, new and sustainable funding for the operation and maintenance of developmentally appropriate early-learning and childcare programs.
CFUW White Rock/Surrey and our B.C. council have advocated strongly on the urgent need for an integrated system of care which supports families. Our research has shown that families are facing long and costly wait lists for childcare.
The current patchwork of services makes it difficult for families to find affordable childcare that fits with their schedules. Our workforce has a wide variety of schedules which are becoming increasingly non-traditional. Currently, our early-learning and childcare schedules reflect traditional 9-5 work schedules. This is not serving the need of many South Surrey and White Rock families.
It is time for our government to implement an early-learning and childcare plan that will create quality, affordable and flexible childcare spaces and pay early childhood educators a decent wage.
We challenge each candidate in the upcoming provincial election to make this issue a priority of his/her election platform.
Susan Wingate, CFUW White Rock/Surrey president