It appears that our nanny state government wants to ensure all child-care is only available through licensed government sanctioned facilities

Today the BC NDP government announced that thousands of early childhood educators to benefit from new supports and wage boosts.  So, what will that mean for parents of children in licensed child care facilities … and what about those small at home child care facilities which are not licensed by the province?

Earlier in June, the government announced it was investing $750,000 per year in a new grant program that would offer un-licensed providers caring for a maximum of 2 children, a new source of funding to become licensed.  They would then have the ability to care for up to 8 children.  The available grants were to provide funding of up to $4,500 for providers pursuing an in-home multi-age (IHMA) child care licence … and up to $4,000 for providers pursuing a family child care licence.

But what about those child care providers NOT wish to expand? Why would funding not be made available to them?  I can think of one reason, and one reason only.  It appears that our nanny state government wants to ensure all child-care is only available through licensed government sanctioned facilities.  And there are a multitude of reasons for this, I believe.

One ... a pay scale that in the long run will see child-care providers unionized and members of the BCGEU – something similar to what is now happening on large-scale government infrastructure projects.  You’re in the union, and your company agrees to it, or you don’t get a share of monies that government, in its largesse using OUR money from taxation, hands out.

Two … government begins to slowly intercede and intervene in programs being offered, and what the content of those programs might be.

Three … small in-home day cares eventually are forced out because of government subsidies that allow licensed providers to offer a much lower cost for parents.  And with day care costs every rising, and parents having to pay more and more, it’s obvious where parents will go.

What else happened earlier this Summer?  In mid-July the BC government announced that 22,000 new licensed spaces would be coming over the next three years.  You caught that, right?  Licensed Child Care Spaces, which would then as I noted just a moment ago, be more affordable.  Funding made easier to access for private-sector, non-profit and public-sector child care providers. 

Money again going into licensed facilities (including public-sector child care facilities) where government is slowly but surely inserting their tentacles into curriculum, wages, unionization, and more specifically, who gets funding and who doesn’t.

Katrine Conroy, Minister of Children and Family Development stated that. “Creating more licensed, affordable child care spaces is a key part of our new Childcare BC plan, so parents can have the peace of mind they need and quality care they can rely on.”

Licensed Child Care Spaces -- Government interference in the marketplace.

For many years there have been small non-profits, and co-ops, providing child-care that was more affordable, however they didn’t have the same degree of government intrusion into every aspect of how they delivered the service they provided.  The same for small at home providers of child care.

I agree totally with the comment from Katrine Conroy (BC’s Minister of Children and Family Development) that, “Early childhood educators are the heart of BC’s child care system, and their passion and dedication are key to setting BC kids on the path to future success,”

What I don’t agree with however is that this can ONLY be delivered by licensed child care spaces.

The Minister, and her government, has clearly shown that it plans to provide wage enhancements, government funding for subsidies, government funding for creation of spaces, and more for child-care.

It is also showing that its intent is to freeze out, and therefore end as much as possible, the small in-home care provider.  As I stated earlier on this opinion piece … it appears that our nanny state government wants to ensure that all child-care is only available through licensed government sanctioned facilities.

Our government at work – using our money – whether we agree with what it’s doing or not.

In Kamloops, I’m Alan Forseth, and I hope you’ll join the discussion.  Do you agree?  Let me know by posting your thoughts in the Comment Section directly below.