A new Alberta government bill would require daycares to notify parents about serious incidents and safety concerns in a timely manner. Tabled on Thursday, Bill 35, the Education and Childcare (Securing Parental Involvement) Statutes Amendment Act, aligns with the notification changes that began last June. In addition to serious incidents and safety concerns, child-care facilities have to report failures to comply with the rules. The province would also be able to tell facilities to notify families about ministry-approved safety plans after incidents. If a provider can’t or won’t notify a family, the government would then do it. Communication would include on-site notices, emails and app notifications. Affected families would be contacted directly. “Parents deserve confidence that their children are safe and well cared for,” said Demetrios Nicolaides, Alberta’s minister of education and childcare. “These changes would strengthen oversight of licensed child care, give government better tools to identify and address concerns, and ensure families receive clear, timely information when serious issues arise.” Bill 35 would also allow the Alberta government to evaluate people who apply to operate child-care programs, and consider their experience, financial capacity and compliance history with other regulatory bodies before they give them or renew their licence. The changes would take effect on March 1.
