Letter: Families Deserve Inclusion, Not Silence
A concerned Grey County parent and advocate for inclusive child care invites local parents to join in attending an upcoming meeting on childcare services, organized by Grey County.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Across Grey County, parents of children with special or complex needs are quietly falling through the cracks of a child care system that promises inclusion but delivers uncertainty.
While Ontario celebrates the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) program and its promise of “$10-a-day” affordability, many families here can’t find a single space that truly meets their child’s needs. Families are left navigating long waitlists, inconsistent inclusion practices, and unclear communication from those tasked with managing the system.
Grey County, as our designated Consolidated Municipal Service Manager, is hosting an Inclusive Child Care Community Conversation on Thursday, November 13, from 5:30–8:30 p.m. at Sydenham Campus (Hot Desk Room), 1130 8th Street East, Owen Sound.
While this discussion is an important opportunity, it comes with very short notice and limited outreach through public channels. For families already juggling complex care needs, adequate time and accessible options are essential to participate.
Without these, there’s a real risk that this meeting, intended to elevate parent voices, could happen without the very families it’s meant to include.
As a parent of a child with special needs in Grey County, I know firsthand how isolating this struggle can be. We need our voices heard, loudly and collectively, so decisions about child care reflect the realities we live every day.
If you’re a parent, educator, or community ally, please attend this meeting and help ensure that inclusion isn’t just a word in a plan, but a promise kept.
—Katlyn German, a concerned Grey County parent and advocate for inclusive child care
Letters to the Editor do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of The Owen Sound Current and its editor or publisher.