A18 - Wednesday, January 20, 1982 - North Shore News No let-up in hardship and child abuse cases FROM PAGE A1 “IT get mothers coming in crying because they can’t find good day care for their child,” said Babs Black, co- ordinator of day care ser- vices for the North Shore for the Ministry of Human Resources (MHR). Queen Mary School Principal Claus Spiekermann claims as many as 65 children have come to school without lunches on a single day. Spiekermann sees more of these problems than most local principals since 72 per cent of his students come from single parent families and one third of the children in his school are from families on income assistance, many of whom have an average yearly income of $9,000, much lower than the $28,000 average which is North Vancouver's norm, he says. The school has overcome Situations of children fainting in corridors through hunger because of pride which prevents them from asking for food, with its Snack Shack Program. Fhe program ensures that all children receive a lunch as the school considers it impossible for children to concentrate on classes if they are hungry. Brown bag lunches are left in the cloakrooms for children who do not bring their own, just the same as those of children who do, so there is no stigma caused (to children who need free lunches by them being identified. But he says that hardship problems and situations of child abuse have not lessened since he first drew media attention to them in November and he is sticking to his statement that Human Resources Minister Grace McCarthy is to blame. biven parents on welfare who are not facing payment cutbacks since the in troduction of her new program are under pressure and are being forced to leave the North Shore because of financial reasons. Last week he met a mother who told him her rent had just been increased from $250 to $550, while her welfare income remains the same. The MHR social worker assigned to the school does what she can Within the limitations of her mandate, says Spiekermann “but is limited by the policies of the government,” he adds. BLAME “I blame Grace McCarthy for that and I haven't seen any progress.” Financial pressures are sull being translated in the hames of such families into situations of child abuse and neglect, he says. While he feels the ministry is doing nothing to help, with its financial restraints, he says the community is rallying to the situation. This was particularty evident over Christmas, when the school received thousands of dollars’ worth of food, clothing and toys which were distributed to needy families with children at the school. North Van- couver City Mayor Jack Loucks, a former principal of Queen Mary's, responded with a gift of $500 and personal support, while another man adopted nine children from three families to ensure they had a good Christmas. The Squamish Indian Band gave a new stove for use in the Snack Shack program. A general problem throughout North Van- couver, says Spiekermann, is young children arriving home to empty houses at thie end of the day because their parents are at work. Queen Mary's has its own pre-school and after school care service for 25 children, which 1s filled A nine children further are oon. the Petition calls for sidewalk improvement SIDEWALK improvements on the cast side of Chesterfield Avenue. from Oth Street to Keith Road have been requested by local residents Phe pethtion was signed by PURE AIR! Thee pecrmeee tea bbe tees Cetera core protec) Abie gations m4 toeaelt tn epee talters boy protean! me we re on re A Models tor home offtee anda North Vancouver 184 Pemberton Ave (4°. bih S of Martie ts) BC two oof the three owners of the properties abutting that section of the sidewalk The petition has been telerted to the City bapinces lor a report and estimates ol Costaoft the work nee 2 ~ $259" nm ORSMAN "py bebeher obo Tel 988 3443 waiting lst for care at the school offered 6:30-9 a.m. and 3-6 p.m. He says the problem is being addressed by the North Shore United Way, wich wants government recognition that daycare is an essential service. Those mothers who do go back to work face day care expenses of up to $200 a month if they can't place their child in a group day care. The subsidy = structure differs between the two types of day care centres available. There are 24 group day care centres on the North Shore, most of which have an average waiting hist of 20. Part price. A working mother earning net pay of $795 a month with a child in a three to five- year-old group day care receives a subsidy of about $200 a month to pay for the average fee of $220 a month. The other type of day care offered is family day care, in which parents take their children to a private home where they are looked after for the day. That kind of day care is more expensive, with parents receiving a subsidy of only $130 to help pay for an average fee of about $330 a month. That means a parent with one child in family day care of their attraction 1s has to pay about $200 a month in day care fees alone. Minister of Human Resources Grace McCarthy says her ministry will pump $7.5 million into additional job counselling and day care, and she says $93,500 has been spent since August to create 428 new day care spaces. But last year 177 day care facilities shut down in B.C. “Critical” is the word Erica Hill, Vancouver author of the booklet Who's Minding the Children’, used to describe the situation. In Vancouver, one estimate is that 8,000 ad- ditional spaces are needed over the 4,000. spaces ~AtBC. Hydro, - we put a lot of energy into helping you save money bas ality Prrechde ys bry _ nya ti r a | i Energy Conserv atic Heating & Insulation lophuny & Worng Insulate and Save bnerpy bnerpy befficrent Use ot Appiiances Range Dishwasher Mic rowane NAME ADRESS Cwhy Mostl te WO Btyelro binergey © otis. atic, Gch bbe GOON Pherwe St Nameomver HO NOG O16. Hot waite @ aired applies ebb dEtyt oe tye Pp tha So peety ati wei Vontil |e Home Planning Kat’ (buying or remodelkny } v tial eur freon Se hate hen Water bheatinp Solar bnerpy breeser Ketriperates Loaunedrs PONT AL fe eenannittil itacat Were te thie boty hfe pra ket 4 Vs hae hay HH) BRC Thiet vbtied presently available to ac- commodate the number of parents entering the work force. Karen Brandolin}, president of the B.C. Family Day Care Association, recently estimated it could take six months to create a significant number of spaces and still the demand would not be met. a ee De Sth veags he f Hydro