Childcare initiatives launched by the province and a lack of educators are making it difficult for childcare centres to keep up with demand, according to local centres.

Lynn Courville, owner of Westshore Community Daycare in Langford, said she is licensed for more spots than she currently has available, but she is unable to open them up due to staffing issues.

At the moment, Courville said educators at her centre are working 10 hours a day without breaks except during naptime.

B次元官网网址淚f they get sick, we have to actually close for that day and pay all the parents back,B次元官网网址� Courville said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 how bad it is.B次元官网网址�

Courville has put out calls looking for more educators but is having a hard time finding qualified individuals to work for her.

READ MORE: New childcare in Langford looking for toddlers and teachers

Ben Paine and his wife own JennB次元官网网址檚 Little Bears Early Childhood Education Centre in Colwood. Paine said about six years ago they had a posting for a position and were able to conduct five interviews with interested individuals. Now, he said theyB次元官网网址檙e struggling to find one person interested in a job.

B次元官网网址淭wo years ago it took us three months to get one resume,B次元官网网址� Paine said. B次元官网网址淢y wife is starting maternity leave in July and we probably wonB次元官网网址檛 find anyone to cover her.B次元官网网址�

JennB次元官网网址檚 Little Bears has always had a waitlist for infant/toddler childcare, Paine said. The centre currently has seven educators working there, including his wife. Paine said they try to make working there as attractive as possible with things such as benefits packages and gym memberships.

Courville has four educators working at Westshore Community Daycare, including herself, and has waitlists for her programs.

READ MORE: About 25 parents scramble for daycare after owner of Langford location bails

B次元官网网址淚t breaks my heart when I have to turn parents away,B次元官网网址� Courville said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 answering phone calls at least five times a week, people looking for care and theyB次元官网网址檙e desperate for care B次元官网网址� and I have to say B次元官网网址業B次元官网网址檓 sorry, I canB次元官网网址檛 do anything because we have to look after what weB次元官网网址檝e got.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

Both Paine and Courville said that while the provinceB次元官网网址檚 recent introductions of the childcare benefit and $10-a-day daycare programs help parents manage the cost of childcare, it has increased the demand and the centres are unable to take more clients because there is still a lack of educators.

B次元官网网址淭hey went about it backwards,B次元官网网址� Courville said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 as if the government didnB次元官网网址檛 speak to the people doing the jobs B次元官网网址� if we canB次元官网网址檛 staff it, itB次元官网网址檚 not there. The demand for childcare has gone faster than the growth in the industry.B次元官网网址�

Willowbrae Academy is slated to open this week in Langford, according to company spokesperson Hal Johnson. However, infant care at their facility is delayed at the time.

B次元官网网址淕etting teachers in B.C. is a challenge at the moment,B次元官网网址� Johnson said.

Courville said the provincial benefits are also putting a larger workload on her. She said she has to report to the province repeatedly, figure out how much parents receive from the benefit and pay them on the first of the month. Courville said she is not reimbursed until about one week later, making finances difficult for her.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a domino effect,B次元官网网址� Courville said. B次元官网网址淚f we burn out then the care isnB次元官网网址檛 there.B次元官网网址�

-With files from Rick Stiebel

shalu.mehta@goldstreamgazette.com

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