Did you know that the average family in BC will spend more money on child care than they will to send their kids to post-secondary education? At an average rate of $35 per day, child care is not only pricey, but the quality is highly variable and vacancies are few and far between. It’s no surprise the birth rate in Canada continues to fall as raising a child becomes increasingly difficult to manage.
I believe the School District can take a leadership role in closing this gap. I propose that we investigate the opportunities for the district to enter the arena and become a high quality, accessible child care provider.
The economic benefits are clear. For every dollar spent on early childhood learning, a seven dollar dividend is provided down the road as remediation, crime, and health costs decrease, and productivity rises.
The educational impacts are clear. Birth to five is a critical window of human development that has life long effects. To close the achievement gap, we can no longer ignore this stage of life, one that is critical to later success in the K-12 school system and beyond.
High quality child care is high quality early learning. Young children do not need an academic environment, but an interactive, engaging, play-based environment in which they can develop basic learning and social skills.
By launching child care services under the School District, we can ensure that Surrey families have the option of neighbourhood-accessible, high quality day care. Based out of elementary school sites, the centres would be staffed by qualified and trained early childhood educators at low child to staff ratios to ensure each child receives the attention they deserve. Child care services would feature market rates, as well as possible subsidized options for low-income families. The services would not demand any additional funding from the province.
While this may not be the universal, affordable child care plan that some advocates rightfully demand, it is a large step forward towards building such a system and moving from a K-12 education towards a pre-K-12 philosophy.
By focusing on providing high quality, local child care in areas with demand, the School District can help raise the standards of day care services, reduce the accessibility gap, and provide Surrey families with more choice as they navigate the early years of their child’s life.