By: Michael Bennett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Ridgetown Independent News
A change in the service model for special needs children in licensed childcare centres in Chatham-Kent will result in the layoff of 39 current Linck Child, Youth, and Family Supports staff.
The Municipality of Chatham-Kent announced on Thursday its decision to modernize Special Needs Resourcing in licensed childcare by transitioning to a new service model focused on educator capacity building, family engagement, and inclusive classroom environments.
The Municipality said that to achieve this transition, it is ending its service contract with Linck Child, Youth and Family Supports for SNR in mid-April.
This decision impacts 39 positions at the multi-service children’s agency – 24 full-time, six contract and nine casual positions.
Linck currently provides SNR service to Ridge K.I.D.S. Day Care Centres operating at Naahii Ridge Public and St. Michael’s Catholic elementary schools in Ridgetown, as well as at St. Angela Merici and St. Teresa of Calcutta elementary schools in Chatham.
Linck also provides service to Good Shepherd Catholic and Thamesville Area Central Public schools in Ridgetown, Zone Twp. Central Public in Bothwell, W.J. Baird Public, Harwich Raleigh Public and St. Anne Catholic in Blenheim.
The Ridgetown Independent News is awaiting a response from Linck on the number of staff at these local day care centres who this decision will impact.
Linck’s development service workers, who specialize in infants and children, are assigned to day cares, where they are dedicated members of each centre’s team, while some staff move between centres based on need.
Teri Thomas-Vanos, Executive Director at Linck, said the agency and staff were caught off guard by the Municipality’s decision.
“We knew the Municipality had undertaken a service review over the past several months, but the decision was unexpected,” Thomas-Vanos said.
Staff impacted by this decision will be offered support through the Municipality’s CK Jobs program, in addition to assistance in finding employment in the new model services.
“We’re very hopeful,” Thomas-Vanos said about staff maintaining their positions and continuing the relationships they have built with the children, families and their centres. “We have excellent staff who are so qualified and have a very special set of expertise, it would make sense they would continue to do the good work they’re doing.”
“The Municipality wishes to acknowledge the hard work and dedication that the staff of Linck have provided to the community and their efforts to support CK children and families,” read a statement from the Municipality. “We want parents and caregivers with children in this program to know that we are working with Linck through this transition to ensure that existing service levels are maintained and continued into the new model.
“Families will be engaged and consulted in the future regarding progression plans if and when it is suitable, as demonstrated by success in the classroom,” the statement read.
The service model change puts Chatham-Kent in line with other municipalities in the province and aligns its support with changes to child care over the past few years.
The Municipality says the change allows for a different provision of services, which will continue to be focused on inclusion in the classroom while strengthening the education and capacity-building components.
Under the recommended model, licensed child care operators will be funded to provide enhanced support services, including additional staff, to children with special needs. At the same time, the Municipality’s Child Care and Early Years division will work directly with operators to support their educators through coaching, professional learning, and capacity-building activities.
“The current SNR model was created with positive intent, but is unable to meet the growing and new challenges that the child care sector is experiencing,” the Municipality’s statement read. “The sector has undergone considerable changes post-COVID, and more recently, the announcement and implementation of the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care program has contributed to the need for change.”
Parents and caregivers with questions or concerns should contact the Child Care and Early Years division at 1-866-720-7975 or by email at ccey@chatham-kent.ca.
