Avon Maitland District School Board Looking for Partners to Provide Before and After School Programs in Huron County

by Bob Montgomery

Many Avon Maitland schools provide space for licensed childcare providers to offer before and after school services to families. However, there is a shortage of childcare providers to meet those needs in Brookside Public School in Ashfield Township, Hullett Central in Londesborough, Huron Centennial near Brucefield, and North Woods near Brussels. 

Superintendent of Corporate Services, Cheri Carter, explains the school board doesn't actually run child care programs, they partner with a licensed child care partner and they provide the before and after child care programming in the school. She says they do an annual survey as requested by the Ministry of Education to gauge interest and a couple of the schools have had providers in their school in the past. She says they reached out to the community last year but without much success, so they're hoping to find community organizations or individuals interested in becoming licensed through Huron County to offer programming at these schools. She says there aren't enough spots for everyone who needs them. Many programs have wait lists, and families are forced to seek other options. They're prioritizing support for schools with the greatest need and hope that members of the community will come forward.

Carter says people who are interested but are not licensed would have to get their license through the county. She says there are child care providers in the community that are already licensed and they could work directly with those people and help them get set up. Anyone interested in learning more about the licensing process can contact Facilities Supervisor Laurel Mitchell at laurel.mitchell@ed.amdsb.ca