Announcing our annual advocacy award!
The Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care would like to announce that this year's Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day Advocacy Award will be given to the director and staff of Town's Little Children Day Care in Markham.
The annual award is given to recognize outstanding individuals in the child care community, to celebrate excellence in advocacy and to highlight the dedication and commitment of the early childhood workforce.
TLC Daycare in Markham recently lost their long battle to remain open after losing their space in the Markham Civic Centre, but not before bringing together a strong community of support and demonstrating commitment and resourcefulness in fighting for their program.
"The board, director and staff of TLC Day Care showed tremendous tenacity and commitment to the children and families that they served. It is tragic for everyone involved that this centre is closing, but the TLC family can hold their heads up high knowing they did all they could to try and save their centre". said OCBCC Public Policy Coordinator Carolyn Ferns.
"Director Anna Iacono and staff demonstrated strength, compassion and incredible resiliency in very trying circumstances. Anna did TLC Day Care proud and we should all celebrate her strength of commitment."
The fight for Town's Little Children Daycare highlighted the precarious situation faced by non-profit child care centres in Ontario, that deserve more support and recognition in our communities. In the absence of a real child care system in Ontario and with the loss of their purpose-built space in the Markham Civic Centre, TLC was put in the impossible position of moving an entire child care program to make way for office space. The centre raised a spirited defense of their centre and space.
"In child care advocacy, we don't win every battle. But even in our defeats we build strength, we build solidarity with each other and we renew our commitment to continue the struggle for a real child care solution for Ontario." said Ferns.
The award was presented to Town's Little Children Daycare on October 3rd at the opening of the Portraits of Child Care Exhibition.