A New West family is breathing a sigh of relief after finding out the provincial government will fund daycare for special needs children during the labour dispute.
Anne Bélanger approached New West MLA Judy Darcy in mid-August, in an effort to get the attention of the Ministry for Children and Family Development. The ministry had sent out a letter Aug. 1, informing parents that the provisions to care for kids needing a little extra help would be discontinued if the teachers' strike carried on into September.
On Aug. 26, Bélanger received an email from the Simon Fraser Society for Community Living, the agency that manages the funding from the ministry, stating there wouldn't be a disruption in funding.
"Basically this happened at the 11th hour. I'm extremely relieved, not just for myself but other families in the same situation," she said.
Bélanger's son, Miles, has spinal muscular atrophy and is wheelchair bound.
According to Bélanger, daycare bills during the summer equate to roughly $6,700 a month, which is covered by the Ministry of Child and Family Development. During the school year however, the Ministry of Education would cover the cost of before-and-after-school care, about $3,200 a month for Bélanger's son.
"If you take that amount and subtract it from a full day of care, parents would have been left on the hook for upwards of $3,500," she said.
If the ministry had not gone ahead with funding, Bélanger said she would have had to dip into her savings.
"Gone are my RSPs and anything I put away. You might as well burn my paycheque, you know."
Bélanger added she sympathizes with teachers, especially on the issue of class composition. "It's challenging managing different children's abilities and capabilities. It's important this be resolved, but the way it's going, is very worrisome."
