'It might mean shutting down': Child care centres struggling amid high staff and child sickness
High absentee rates and staff shortages are causing some child care centres to close or reduce their hours.
KidFit 60, a childcare centre for pre-school aged children with a focus on being active, is experiencing a large number of kids away sick.
"Last week, I'm going to say we had about ten children gone from the downstairs room and 16 gone from the upstairs, so a lot of absences lately," said Kaylyn Davis, an early childhood educator at KidFit 60.
That's almost 40 percent of their program, extreme numbers other daycares are also facing.
"This week, especially today, we are at 50 per cent, so we have had a significant increase in absenteeism in children," said Lynda Raible, executive director of Earl Grey Children's Centre.
A recent survey from the Manitoba Child Care Association found 87 per cent of facilities are seeing high levels of illness.
On average, a quarter of children were out sick, but some reported absentee rates as high as 60 per cent.
"I have been in the early childhood system for over 30 years. I don't think I've seen this level of illness in my time. Like this is really significant," said Jodie Kehl, the association's executive director.
Kehl said the most common illnesses reported inside childcare facilities right now are the common cold and flu, with RSV and COVID-19 contributing to the problem.
STAFFING ISSUES
On top of absentee children, child care centres are also seeing staff calling in sick.
"We have had a lot of staff shortages," said Davis. "We have had staff with bronchitis and just the flu itself. It's hard to get staff on call just because there are shortages all in Winnipeg right now."
While most daycares have been able to balance the staff-to-child ratio amid the influx of sick calls, it can cause major problems when they're short.
This is resulting in facilities having to make some dire decisions right now in terms of reducing their hours of operation," said Kehl.
"A few facilities have actually had to close their door for a couple of days until their staff is well enough to come back and resume operations."
An unwanted yet very real option places like Earl Grey Children's Centre are facing.
"It might mean closing early. It might mean asking parents to pick them up. It might mean shutting down for the day or shutting down programs," said Raible.
Raible said it can be a big but necessary strain on parents for their kids to stay home sick.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre will do 'anything to win,' must condemn Alex Jones endorsement: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Video shows suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Ottawa injects another $36M into fund for those seriously injured or killed by vaccines
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Ex-SNC executive sentenced to prison term in bridge bribery case
The RCMP says a former SNC-Lavalin executive has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison in connection with a bribery scheme for a bridge repair contract in Montreal.