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Ontario’s Childcare Industryco-presidenTS' MESSAGEBy: Kim Yeaman & Wendy MarshallKEEP CALM AND CARRY ONOne of the best things aboutworking with children andfamilies every day is howit helps you maintain your perspectiveabout what is truly important inlife. No matter how tough things are,a few minutes playing alongside thechildren makes all of the stress meltaway and gives you the motivationand encouragement you need tokeep going even when the going getstough. Working with ADCO membersthis summer, we have been humbledby their tremendous inner strengthand the many ways they’re copingwith the rapid roll-out of the Provincialgovernment’s Early Learning Program(ELP). There are many valuablelife lessons in what we’ve observed.Almost every independent licensedchild care program has facedsome kind of challenge as a result ofthe ELP. For some owner/operatorsthese challenges have been insurmountable.The financial viabilityof their programs has been underminedby such an extent they’vehad no choice but to close theirdoors. Others have made the choiceto sell their operations to larger companies,as a means of continuing toserve the families that have come torely on them every day. Still othershave shelved expansion plans, orsought to limit their vulnerability tofurther government policy changesby reducing the number of familiesthey serve who are in receipt of feesubsidy. These are just some of theunintended consequences of theProvince’s current policy direction.Others include the rapid expansionof some of Ontario’s largestchild care companies, primarilythrough the acquisition of strugglingcentres that have been negativelyaffected by the ELP. Yet, within theADCO membership, there are ahandful of smaller programs thathave gone from being single-siteoperations to having three or morecentres in less than two years. Inobserving and working with thesemembers, it’s clear that their successisn’t just a matter of location or accessto capital, although both play arole. What these programs have incommon with one another is thattheir owner/operators have adoptedfive specific behaviors. They can besummed up as follows: They stay focused on doingwhat they can to meet the currentand future needs of familiesin the areas they serve, alwayslooking for new opportunitiesto expand their relationshipswith their existing clients andto expand their service area.; They stay connected with otherchild care owner/operators forencouragement and support,and to better understand anytrends that may be emergingin their areas or in the licensedchild care sector as a whole. They make it a point to allocatea portion of each day to workingon their programs, ratherthan in them, making theircentre’s growth potential theirtop priority. They maintain ongoing contactwith their MPs, MPPs and municipalcouncilors, advocatingstrongly on behalf of the familiesthey serve, sometimes evenmobilizing the families themselves. They don’t take the actions ofgovernment personally.Membership in ADCO offers licensedchild care owner/operators,both commercial and non-profit, avariety of resources to help them followthis powerful example. Thanks toa keynote address by futurist and authorRichard Worzel, the ADCO FallConference scheduled for Friday, November2 will offer ADCO membersthe opportunity to deepen their understandingof the trends that will affectthe families they serve. This sameevent will also give ADCO membersan important chance to connect withtheir peers from across the province.Membership in ADCO also providesyou with many other peer supportand mentoring opportunities. Ifyour program is ever struggling withan issue or challenge and you aren’tsure where to turn, we invite you tocall the ADCO member care centre at1-800-567-7075. In addition to seekingout documents, professional contactsor other information that maybe of help to you, ADCO’s membercare team may be able to put you intouch with another ADCO memberwho has faced a similar challengewho is willing to offer you additionalinsight and advice. Alternatively, youcan post your question or concern inthe “members only” discussion areaon ADCO’s web site for a responsefrom other discussion area users.Additionally, ADCO develops anddelivers a variety of print and onlineCo-President’s Message continued on next pageSUMMER/BACK TO SCHOOL 2012 • ChildcareTODAY 3