The deadline is nearing for caregivers and childcare providers to complete surveys intended to help shape the future of services in Williams Lake.
Two separate surveys are available — one for childcare providers and one for current and future parents and caregivers — to help planners understand the current and anticipated childcare needs for residents of the region.
The surveys are being conducted by the Social Planning Council and City of Williams Lake and come at a time when local childcare providers are sounding the alarm over a lack of qualified staff and the dire impacts that is having in the community.
“We recognize that there are not quick and easy short term solutions right now for the daycare crisis, but we really need community input to put pressure on the decision makers on all levels. This is where the importance of surveys comes in,” said Jordan Davis, Social Planning Council co-ordinator.
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“We have to be able to show how critical the need is from all angles right now. We are hearing a lot from primarily women in the community, that they are going to lose well paying, career jobs with benefits because of this crisis.”
Davis said they haven’t heard from nearly enough fathers who are also going to be impacted by the daycare crisis and urges them to complete the online survey as well.
“We want to hear from everyone providing childcare and parents and guardians too.”
Childcare Provider Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/childcareproviders
Parent Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/parentchildcare
Completing the child care survey will take approximately 25-30 minutes.
Participating in the survey is an entirely volunteer process and participants may skip any questions they do not want to answer and/or end the process at any time.
The parent survey will take about 15 minutes to complete and is critical in understanding the current and future needs for childcare in Williams Lake.
Last week, representatives from local daycares told council there are more than 200 families on waitlists for daycare.
The surveys will both close Dec. 1.
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