EXCERPTS
Grey County is experiencing a “serious shortage” of childcare spaces as operators continue to struggle to recruit and retain qualified staff.
More than 800 children are currently on waiting lists for licenced childcare spaces in Grey County, children’s services manager Tara Cockerill told county council Thursday.
At the same time, childcare operators are short about 150 staff, forcing the sector to operate at only about 70 per cent capacity locally and, in some cases, has prompted providers to reduce their hours.
“Operators are reporting an increase in staff leaving the sector and greater difficulty in replacing those staff,” Cockerill said.
“The high demand for employment across the region is resulting in staff leaving for other sectors. There are things like higher pay and signing bonuses that are attracting them to leave the program.”
Cockerill presented a report to advise council “of the current serious shortage of childcare spaces in the county and actions being taken to address the situation.”
She said the county’s children’s services division is using all available financial and program supports to address the shortage, but the lack of required staff will take time and new approaches to solve.
The local childcare sector is now licenced for 2,512 spaces, but the staffing shortage has reduced programs to operating at 70 per cent of that capacity.
About 150 additional staff members are needed to allow the existing licenced childcare programs to operate at full capacity, Cockerill said.
Grey and Bruce counties have created a joint early childhood educators recruitment and retention committee, which is working with stakeholders – including colleges, labour boards and economic development departments – to create plans to find and keep the necessary staff to operate at full capacity.
Grey County has launched a webpage, grey.ca/BeAnECE, with information on accessing courses, grants and other funding opportunities to join the profession.
The children’s services division is working with the communications department to develop targeted promotions to let the community know about the importance of ECEs and how to become one.
A Pathways to ECE document has been created and is being shared with guidance counsellors, employment services and other stakeholders.
“This committee recognizes that these activities are part of a long-term sector plan and may not address the immediate need in our region,” Cockerill said.