EXCERPTS
LONDON, ONT. - Child care has changed dramatically during the pandemic, and the need for more early childhood educators is stifling organizations that want to fill the need for quality trusted child care.
“The biggest need right now is actually for child care staff and registered early child care educators to expand capacity within our programs,” says Heidi Collins, the executive director of Oxford Community Child Care.
“Right now if we could simply hire some great early learning staff, we could meet the capacity and demand that is on our waiting lists.”
Mary Ann Avey, supervisor of Leadership Development, adds, “COVID has changed the aspect of care dramatically, and I think that’s one of the things that staff, all care providers are having to manage, and they’ve been managing it for well over a year now.”
She also says there have been huge changes, especially in smaller communities, and with more people moving in, the demand for child care needs will increase significantly.