New policy comes after sexual assault allegations at Edmonton daycare prompted calls for improvement.



Demetrios Nicolaides says the new policy will improve notification of parents when high-risk incidents occur. (CBC)

The Alberta government is mandating faster notification for parents when there are allegations of abuse or potential criminal incidents involving a child at a daycare.

The province's childcare minister is introducing a policy change to inform parents of serious incidents at daycares after the lack of communication around sexual assault allegations at an Edmonton facility last year sparked calls for better notification and transparency.

Child-care facilities will be required to post highly visible notices of high-risk incidents, within one business day of being reported, or as soon as reasonably possible, Demetrios Nicolaides said in an interview with CBC News on Thursday.

A notice will also be posted to Alberta.ca with the daycare’s name and date the incident was reported.

The new rules take effect June 1 while a broader review of gaps in the Early Child Learning Act continues, the minister said.

“We want to ensure that we're able to provide greater transparency to parents and notify them as best as we can,” Nicolaides said.

“What we will do is take a very deliberate, thoughtful and cautious approach to focus on incidents that could involve possible harm or ongoing risk to children that might be criminal in nature.”

The province is implementing interim measures six months after a group of Edmonton parents raised concerns about issues in notification they experienced first-hand.

It took two months for parents of children attending Willowbrae Academy Mill Creek to learn of the allegations against a former daycare worker wanted on sexual assault charges involving a young girl.

After the details were released another child came forward. The accused had already fled the country.

Since then, a former child care worker at Learn-N-Share Daycare in south Edmonton has pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and a daycare worker at Kidstown Daycare in west Edmonton has been charged with sexual assault.

In the latter case, the name of the daycare where the complaint originated was not made public until a week after a police release encouraging any other potential victims to come forward. The second location where the accused worked has still not been disclosed. Edmonton police say the daycares’ names were held back for investigative purposes.

Balancing disclosure and privacy

Previously, it was up to daycares when and how they notified parents and the language used to do so.

Now, it will be the responsibility of the Alberta child care licensing teams to decide when serious incidents are to be disclosed. Daycares will be required to use a standard form notice.

“There is a balance here but we do want to push the envelope as much as we can to ensure parental awareness and understanding and notification as much as possible without crossing the line,” Nicolaides said.

Katherine O'Neill, president and CEO for YMCA of Northern Alberta, supports the new rules.

“Clear, timely communication with families following a serious incident has been part of the YMCA of Northern Alberta’s standard operating procedures for many years. We are very pleased to see these practices being rolled out across the province because the safety, well-being and trust of children and families must always come first," said O'Neill in a news release from the province announcing the changes.

Although details of the incident may still be held back for investigative, privacy and legal reasons involving complainants and the accused, the notification itself is an indicator of the gravity of any incident involving allegations of abuse, neglect or anything that could become a criminal matter, Nicolaides said.

The government will also encourage providers to post safety plans in their facilities, outlining safety measures to be followed after an incident.

With young kids of his own who have been in daycare, the minister said he understands how important it is to ensure children are cared for and protected in a safe environment.

“I understand how important it is to have trust and confidence in the facilities and organizations that you're entrusting your child with. And I know the vast majority of our operators are incredible operators, diligent, follow the law and take their responsibility seriously,” Nicolaides said.

“But if we can help parents have more information about things that may have occurred, especially as it relates to an incredibly serious incident, I think we should endeavour to do everything that we can to push the envelope regarding parental awareness and notification.”

By Andrea Huncar