Another Daycare Update

I am absolutely disgusted. I wonder what Councillor Gignac will think now of one of the best Administration reports she claims she ever saw on daycare closing.

Since she was on the winning side, she can introduce a Motion to Reconsider because Administration did not report about what was said about Municipal daycare back in 2005 in the "MUNICIPALLY FUNDED CHILDREN’S SERVICES SYSTEM REVIEW."

What changed to justify the harsh action at Council. Here is one comment from the report that we never saw in what Administration wrote:

• "If the municipality were to discontinue the direct delivery of children‟s services such as licensed child care, what impacts (positive and negative) would it have on the community?”
  
  Overall the information collected indicates that the community believes there were would be a significant negative impact on the children services system if the City withdrew from the direct operation of licensed child care centres. Respondents indicated that in their view a strong role model for quality child care in the community would disappear, parents would experience increasing uncertainty as to the quality of services and programs and less choice, and there would be a decline in quality of service and care in the system overall. Further, the community believes that the City has the power to open doors to support system improvements due to its political connections that other centres could not open. Discussions acknowledged that the City centres have the resources that compel them to accept all children who apply (space warranted), which means they often accept children with special needs that have been refused by other centres.
  
  The quality and programs offered by the City Centres set a high standard. Parents recognized this by reflecting they believe the City centres often offer better programs, materials and professional staff. These centres are the preferred training centres and mentoring sites for the St. Clair College early childhood education program and other students. The City centres have access to leading edge research and best practices in the profession given the City‟s role as system manager. Further, the City centres offer flexible care hours not available from the majority of other providers...
  
  However, overall stakeholders including key informants, agencies, some child care providers, parents and other CMSM‟s reflected that the positive impact of the City remaining as a direct deliverer far exceeds the minorities call for a withdrawal of their services. The negative impacts of withdrawal were simply described as too great."

Oh there is so much more to be discussed including what appears to be a complete failure of Management unless there are factors that Administration can identify that can counter this that should have been disclosed.

If we can have an audit on WUC, perhaps Angela Berry should be asked to do one on the daycare system before any action is taken. I wonder what she would find!

I need to review the report more thoroughly. I suggest that Councillor Gignac do the same.