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The government wants advice from the child-care industry on how it can best stop the ongoing problem of low-income parents being gouged out of subsidies.
"We are aware that it does happen, infrequently, and we have been in conversation with the industry about whether the government can play a role in addressing those concerns," said Jody Korchinski, a spokesman for Alberta Children's Services.
Gouging was first outlined in a pair of reports to the government in 2002 on the state of the industry. The government resurveyed child-care centres in 2006, following a Sun story outlining the problems, and 14 of 133 contacted admitted to charging different rates to low-income parents and those who weren't receiving the subsidy, Korchinski said.
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Many industry workers say they don't blame day-care centres for trying to take a portion of the subsidy because they lost their operating grants in 1999 when the low-income support plan came into effect.
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With the new Child Care Licensing Act about to become law - after receiving all-party support in the house last month - Children's Services will begin industry consultations on what policies are required to support the legislation and address any ongoing industry concerns.
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- reprinted from the Edmonton Sun