Families across Quebec say they're struggling to find English childcare services: study
A new survey suggests more needs to be done to ensure English-speaking families have access to early-childhood services in their language.
The Community Health and Social Services Network (CHSSN) surveyed nearly 1,800 English-speaking parents across Quebec. As many as 62 per cent reported there were few early childhood services available in English where they live.
What’s more, 67 per cent had trouble getting pre and post-natal care in English, 69 per cent reported difficulty finding an English daycare, and 80 per cent struggled to access specialized services for their child.
More than half worried their child wouldn’t be understood in a French-language daycare, and 48 per cent worried that they, as parents, wouldn't understand important information from staff.
CHSSN Executive Director Jennifer Johnson says English-speaking families are disadvantaged in other ways too.
“Census information tells us we have higher levels of unemployment, higher levels of people living below the lower income cut-off, we have higher levels of single-parent families,” she said.
However, three-quarters of those surveyed also said they’re at least somewhat comfortable speaking French.
“That notwithstanding,” said the Quebec Liberal Party’s Language Critic David Birnbaum, “it's absolutely normal that, when it comes to getting care for our children, when it comes to being in hospital for an important diagnosis, we need to be addressed in our language.”
While the Legault government plans to create more daycare spaces with Bill 1, many are concerned the province’s French-language reforms will further strip away English-language services for those who need them.
“And like in so many areas of health and social services, the regime delivering services in English is put into great question by the actions of this current government -- not to mention by Bill 96,” said Birnbaum.
Johnson says most parents want the same thing: “to ensure that their children get the best opportunities possible.”
Quebec’s family and education ministries did not respond to CTV News’ request for comment.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
2 teens charged in Halifax homicide: police
Two teenagers have been charged with second-degree murder in connection to an alleged homicide near the Halifax Shopping Centre earlier this week.
'Deep ignorance': Calls for Manitoba trustee to resign sparked after comments about Indigenous people and reconciliation
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.
ByteDance prefers TikTok shutdown in U.S. if legal options fail, Reuters sources say
TikTok owner ByteDance would prefer to shut down its loss-making app rather than sell it if the Chinese company exhausts all legal options to fight legislation to ban the platform from app stores in the U.S., four sources said.
12-year-old hippo in Japan raised as a male discovered to be a female
When Gen-chan arrived at a zoo in Japan in 2017, no one questioned whether the then-five-year-old hippopotamus was a boy. Seven years later, zoo staff made a surprising discovery: Gen-chan, now 12, was female.
Here's why Harvey Weinstein's New York rape conviction was tossed and what happens next
Here's what you need to know about why movie mogul Harvey Weinstein's rape conviction was thrown out and what happens next.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole dies at 90: CBC
Bob Cole, a welcome voice for Canadian hockey fans for a half-century, has died at the age of 90. Cole died Wednesday night in St. John's, N.L., surrounded by his family, his daughter, Megan Cole, told the CBC.