PUSLINCH – Accessing licensed childcare in town will remain impossible for Puslinch residents without an appropriate location.
Providing an update on childcare access across Wellington County during the Joint Social Services and Land Ambulance Committee earlier this month, social services administrator Luisa Artuso said "land is an issue" as staff have continued to "quite strongly" investigate a future space for a licensed childcare facility in Puslinch.
The county previously set a goal to achieve one full-day, full-time childcare program for children from infancy to age four per municipality in 2016. Puslinch remains the only municipality in Wellington County with a zero per cent access rate.
"Equitable access to licensed child care has and continues to be more challenging for rural areas so it takes a lot of time, commitment, and strong collaborative partners to make this important service to communities a reality in these areas," said Artuso, in an emailed statement to GuelphToday.
Being mindful of the area's flood plains, Artuso said staff are working with the Puslinch mayor and staff to talk about how to get a childcare centre that would offer 64 spaces in Puslinch or as close to the south end of Guelph as possible.
While the county has been in talks with the Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB), Artuso said there is no available land on the UGDSB's existing site in Puslinch and the county is considering a community-based approach.
If land becomes available, the county's next steps would involve finding funding for the land acquisition, followed by seeking capital funding and operating funds.
"Funding for acquisition of land and capital funding for community-based projects will be very challenging given the limitations of provincial and federal capital funding allocations," said Artuso.
A report on the value of childcare said there are currently 73 Puslinch children on a waitlist for an infant, toddler or a preschool childcare space. There are 230 children aged zero to four in Puslinch.
The main barriers to accessing care in Puslinch indicated within the report was a lack of availability, less than ideal locations of care options and affordability.
A need for childcare offering flexible care and/or extended hours to suit shift workers or commuters was also indicated.
"A childcare centre in Mapleton was one of our top priorities for over 20 years before it finally happened! But it is finally happening and we hope the same for Puslinch," said Artuso.
The average access rate for children from birth up to four years old is 14.1 per cent in Wellington County and 31.1 per cent in Guelph.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
