EXCERPTS:
As if a daycare crunch hasn't made it tough enough to find childcare, concerns about day homes have created a difficult situation for parents.
On Friday, Global News shared the story of two parents who were furious, after learning their toddlers were left unattended in the basement of a day home in Tuscany.
"I checked [the providers'] clearance and other kids went there, how did I miss that?" says Megan Hooper, whose three-year-old daughter was left alone in the dark. "How will I know down the road?"
Many parents say it's tough to find good childcare in Alberta, especially one that's the right fit for their family.
Child advocates working to connect parents with licensed providers say there isn't enough oversight, as no mandatory license is required.
"I actually am very disappointed there isn't an expectation to be licensed to operate a day home," says Sharon Reib from the Churchill Park Family Care Society. "Our children are so vulnerable, something can happen and nobody would know. It's important there be oversight for all childcare environments."
About 70 per cent of children in Alberta are not cared for in a licensed facility.
-reprinted from Global News