A highly successful model

Re: Ministry being investigated following daycare fatality, July 13.

Our sympathies to the family in Vaughan who lost their child. As parents we cannot imagine a more horrible loss. We would like to respond to this Citizen article — the negative portrayal of all independent professional caregivers providing home care is both insulting and inaccurate.

The majority of independent professional caregivers are self-motivated while following the DNA to provide safe, loving and stimulating environments for the children in their care. They are often the parent’s first choice. IPCs offer unique programs which they plan together with parents to meet the needs of the children in their care. More than 80 per cent of children in care in Ontario are in private home daycare.

While seeking the opinion of the licensed child care sector in the article, it is important to note that the Citizen reporter did not include the opinion of the independent professional caregiver. IPCs have a plan that will not cost the taxpayers the billion dollars currently being poured into the childcare sector, which only reaches 20 per cent of children in care. Education and training, not licensing, will do far more to ensure the safety of our children.

CCPRN is a non-profit, charitable organization that provides service to over 1,200 caregivers, 12,000 parents and 7,000 children in Ottawa. We are unique in that we are the only organized voice for IPC. CCPRN is a highly successful model, which could be implemented provincewide for the benefit of all children in daycare. BRENDA BURNS, President, DOREEN COWIN, Executive Director, Child Care Providers Resource Network of Ottawa-Carleton