By Mary Noble,

Children First and Success By 6 Regional Coordinator

The East Kootenay is currently facing a crisis in childcare. There are not enough childcare spaces, childcare is not affordable, there are not enough qualified early childhood educators, and wages and working conditions are not enough to keep early childhood educators in the field. Childcare should be accessible and inclusive to all families and children who want to access the services.

The early years (ages 0-6) are the formative years in a child’s development. Families, primary caregivers, extended family and child care programs need to provide a healthy environment that promotes physical, social and emotional development.

Children who attend quality child care programs as an extension to their time with family and primary caregivers have been proven to:

– Be more ready for school: children who receive quality childcare enter Kindergarten with better math, language and social skills.

– Have increased opportunities to socialize with other children their own age.

– Gain a sense of self and confidence through play, exploration and experimentation.

– Have increased empathy and understanding of the other person they are playing with.

…And much more!

Quality child care benefits everyone – families, employers, businesses, and society-as-a-whole will all benefit in the short and long term. In the short term, families will have access to quality and affordable care that will enable both parents to return to work, parents will miss less time from work, and early childhood educators will have a positive working environment and make a living wage. In the long term, access to quality childcare fosters a society of individuals who are physically, socially and emotionally healthy.

The East Kootenay Child Care Needs Assessment (available on www.ekkids.ca) outlines the current crisis with the supporting documents and research. The results of that document are now being distributed to community members and organizations. The East Kootenay Child Care Needs Assessment Advisory Committee believes that ALL children should have access to affordable and quality childcare. Members of the committee are working with the business community and a variety of other organizations to identify innovative ways to combat our current childcare crisis.

For more information on the current state of child care in the East Kootenay please contact Mary Noble, Children First and Success By 6 Regional Coordinator at [email protected] or 250-426-2542.

Cranbrook Early Years Committee

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