One family in Regina says they are scrambling to find a new placement after their child with special needs was let go from daycare. Elisabeth Girard said she feels like her son is being judged by his worst day or by what he finds difficult. “It’s really disheartening to know my son is a really smart kid. He is a kind kid, he just has some struggles and needs support,” she said. On May 25, a letter was received notifying the family of the dismissal. The daycare said they are unable to keep the child due to staffing capacity and are unable to offer needed supports. The termination goes into effect June 30. “We are just unsure about what his future at daycare looks like. Are they getting into to hire someone or not? Do we need to look for a new daycare because he has autism?” said Taralyn Fleuter, the child’s stepmom. The family is getting some help through the Enhanced Accessibility Grant, a provincial and federal grant intended to help childcare facilities cover the costs for children needing additional care. This funding was covering the staff who left the daycare. “They are able to get that extra support for children who do have struggles with transitions, behaviours and needing that extra support,” Fleuter said. The Ministry of Education said they are committed to an inclusive childcare system. In the past year, 722 children have benefited from the grant. The amount of the grant reflects actual costs of additional supports, such as additional staffing costs, to a maximum of $3,200 per month. Facilities can also apply for a grant of between $600–$1,200 per year to support the purchase of specialized equipment. Girard said she hopes other families do not feel discouraged advocating for their children, and that there is a systemic look at the supports for children with disabilities. “I think there are things that are happening in that environment that don’t work for disabled kids,” she said. “I think there is some ableism baked into the way we look at childcare, education and the way we provide those services to kids,” she concluded.
