The financial crisis for non-profit child-care centres in Nova Scotia is continuing because of lack of action by the Department of Community Services, a child-care group said Monday.

The Nova Scotia Coalition of Non-Profit Directors met to discuss the financial state of the industry and the strong possibility of more centre closures.

A release from the group said Community Services Minister David Morse has followed through with only half of his promises to the child-care community.

The minister has committed $400,000 to a per diem increase, which amounts to about 50 cents a day per subsidized seat, but has failed to provide a promised $1.3 million for centres' increasing operational costs.

There has been no increase in operational funding since 1998.

The group also fears that the province is moving away from fully subsidized child-care spaces in favour of portable spots, which do not include salary and equipment grant funding.

Fully subsidized spaces have additional funding - $4 per day for salary and equipment expenses on top of the base amount of $15.45.

The group claims a move to portable spaces will bump the cost of child-care for Nova Scotia families, who will have to pay the extra $4 the government is avoiding.

- reprinted from the Chronicle-Herald