Christine Grimard
Northern News Services
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
RANKIN INLET - Parents in Rankin Inlet want to see a new day care because a lack of space is keeping working mothers at home.
Tara Tootoo Fotheringham, chair of the Ajajaa day care, says parents only get the best chance at day care if they apply when pregnant.
Laura Kowmuk is working to open a new day care in Rankin Inlet. - Christine Grimard/NNSL photo |
Otherwise, it could take up to a year for their child to get in.
The Ajajaa day care is the only day care that accepts infants, and currently has 42 children on the waiting list for infants and preschool.
Leslie Dean, who has one daughter and one on the way, said she had to delay going back to work because she couldn't find a place for her child.
"There aren't (many) options for women returning to work after maternity leave," said Dean. "It's very hard to find a reliable babysitter, someone you trust and someone you know."
Her daughter Audrey Fredlund, 15 months, now has a temporary spot now at Ajajaa day care, but only because a spot opened up when a friend took maternity leave and now stays home.
Jo Ellen Etuangat was in a similar position when she was ready to go back to work. Etuangat works full time at the health centre and has two infant boys.
Etuangat went through seven babysitters from August to December until she was lucky enough to get a temporary space at Ajajaa.
"It was good for them over there, that was such a really good feeling," said Etuangat. "Being able to leave your kids with somebody who will take care of them."
The feeling didn't last, however, as Etuangat's space was taken away once again to give priority to members.
Her sister-in-law, back for the summer from the Nunavut Sivuniksavut training program in Ottawa, turned down a job so she could look after Etuangat's children.
Since December of last year, Laura Kowmuk has been looking to solve the problem by opening a new day care in Rankin Inlet.
"I saw there was a need, and I wanted to work on it," said Kowmuk. "Children need to be the first priority over everything."
Tootoo Fotheringham said that as great as it is to have parents interested in opening a day care, the biggest problem lies in getting adequate staff.
The Ajajaa day care closed down temporarily July 10 because they needed to rehire staff and provide additional training.
"We're dealing with complicated issues here," said Tootoo Fotheringham. "You have to be conscious of allergies, conscious of programming.
These issues require the expertise of early childhood officers. Tootoo Fotheringham said that organizations like Kivalliq Partners in Development should be doing more to provide training for the staff.
The new centre would provide services for children age one and older. For children over two, there is space in Rankin Inlet at the Kataujak day care.
Kwedzo Forsol, manager at the Kataujak day care, said the only children on the waiting list for his facility are children that are too young, since they only take kids over two years old.
He says he has 14 names on the waiting list now, but it's only because they are too young.
The new day care will focus on Inuktitut culture and language. Since children develop rapidly from newborn to five years, Kowmuk says teaching Inuktitut at that age is essential.
"If we can promote Inuktitut culture and language in day care, they'll be more confident and secure later on," said Kowmuk.
Ambitiously, Kowmuk says the day care could be open as soon as two months. They are working now on finding a building, and ensuring the facility meets regulations.
While she has some funding, she will need more to get the project realized and is looking to businesses for more funding or donations in-kind such as furniture.
Tootoo Fotheringham noted that if they had a larger facility, she would consider partnering with the new society to save costs.
