Unlicensed B.C. child-care provider who left kids outside nail salon under investigation
An unlicensed child-care provider who left several young children outside a nail salon in B.C.'s Lower Mainland this week was later investigated by health officials – and found to have too many kids in her care.
An image showing seven children standing on the sidewalk along Dewdney Trunk Road in Maple Ridge went viral on social media this week, raising eyebrows among many local parents.
Facebook user Ash Isa, who took the picture Tuesday morning shortly before noon, told CTV News there was at least one additional child in a stroller.
Isa said she was alarmed by what she saw, and went into the salon to find the daycare operator sitting at a table with her back to the children.
"I said to her, 'You can't just be leaving kids on the street like this, it's not safe,'" Isa told CTV News in a phone interview Thursday.
"There was no remorse or anything, no sorry. She was just like, 'Yeah, I know.' And I thought that was a wild response."
On top of sharing a warning to the community on Facebook, Isa reported the incident to the RCMP.
"I feel bad because I know it's going to impact her livelihood," Isa said. "But if it was my kid, I would really want to know."
Ridge Meadows RCMP said the complaint was investigated but officers determined it was not criminal in nature, instead passing along the details to Fraser Health, which conducts inspections of child-care facilities in the region.
In an email, the detachment said surveillance video showed the woman entering the salon but leaving "promptly," within three minutes.
"The children outside the nail salon were in the line of sight of the daycare provider for that time," the RCMP added. "Police have determined that there was no risk to the children."
Fraser Health told CTV News licensing officers visited the woman's daycare on Wednesday and found her with six children who weren't related to her by blood or marriage, a violation of provincial rules.
Unlicensed providers can only care for "up to two children (or a sibling group) who are not related to them," according to a government website explaining the differences between types of child-care services.
Licensing officers told the woman to reduce the number of kids in her care immediately. Officers will be performing follow-up inspections to make sure she’s in compliance, Fraser Health said.
The health authority confirmed the same child-care provider was also the subject of a previous “unrelated investigation,” after which she promised to comply with all provincial regulations.
B.C.'s Ministry of Education and Child Care noted that because the child-care provider is unlicensed, she is not eligible for provincial funding – but she's also not subject to routine monitoring or inspections.
"High-quality child care allows parents to work, go to school or pursue other opportunities, and gives parents peace of mind knowing their children are safe," the ministry said in an email. "No parent should experience a situation like this."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Son charged with 1st-degree murder after father's death on B.C.'s Sunshine Coast
A 26-year-old man has been charged with first-degree murder in connection to the death of his father on the Sunshine Coast last year.
Loblaw using body-worn cameras at 2 Calgary stores as part of pilot project
Loblaw is launching a pilot program that will see employees at two Calgary locations don body-worn cameras in an effort to increase safety.
Trudeau says Ukraine can strike deep into Russia with NATO arms, Putin hints at war
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Ukraine should be allowed to strike deep inside Russia, despite Moscow threatening that this would draw Canada and its allies into direct war.
Driver charged with killing NHL's Johnny Gaudreau and his brother had .087 blood-alcohol level
The driver charged with killing NHL hockey player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew as they bicycled on a rural road had a blood-alcohol level of .087, above the .08 legal limit in New Jersey, a prosecutor said Friday.
What's behind the boom? The Manitoba community that nearly doubled in a decade
For decades, the Town of Ste. Anne was stagnant, but that all changed about 10 years ago. Now it is seeing one of the highest spikes of growth in the province.
'I couldn't form the words': 23-year-old Ont. woman highlights need for rural health care after stroke
The experience of 23-year-old Muskoka, Ont., resident Robyn Penniall, who recently had a stroke, comes as concerns are being raised about the future of health care in her community.
Canadian warship seizes 1,400 kilos of cocaine off Central America
A Canadian warship has seized more than 1,400 kilograms of cocaine during an anti-drug-trafficking operation in Central America.
Air Canada travellers share worries and frustrations ahead of possible pilot strike
Here's what customers had to say about their travel plans ahead of a potential Air Canada pilot strike.
Montreal byelection expected to test the Liberal party
Byelections rarely draw the kind of attention that has now put a spotlight on a vibrant and densely populated Montreal riding. The Monday vote in Lasalle-Ville Emard-Verdun, in the city’s southwest, is shaping up as a three-way race and a test of the strength of the Liberal party’s base.