A Nova Scotia mother is raising concerns about access to inclusive child care after her 2-year-old autistic daughter was dismissed from a daycare following recurring biting incidents.
Katelyn Ennis told CBC News that she felt the decision was discriminatory and that the child-care center should have worked with her earlier to address concerns about her daughter's behavior and communication.
"It felt discriminatory because it felt like they didn't want to care for her because she was too much for them," Ennis said.
The case has renewed discussion about whether child-care providers have enough staffing, training and resources to support children with autism and other developmental disabilities, particularly when behavioral challenges create safety concerns.
Daycare Says Child's Needs Could Not Be Met
Smiles and Chuckles Children's Center in Stewiacke, Nova Scotia, did not comment on the specifics of the case, citing confidentiality. The center said that it was aware of Ennis' allegations and said they were untrue.
In an email to Ennis following the child's dismissal, executive director Kathy Stewart said the center was unable to provide the level of care the child needed while ensuring the safety of everyone at the facility.
"We have continued to observe behaviors that have become increasingly challenging," Stewart wrote.
The center said the decision was not based on the child's autism diagnosis, developmental delays or communication abilities. Stewart also cited a serious biting incident on the child's final day and the center's policy allowing it to end care when a child's needs cannot be met and severe behavioral issues persist.
Ennis, however, said she believed the center should have contacted her sooner to discuss possible strategies.
"When they started to see maybe that there were some concerns around behaviour or how she's communicating, they should have reached out to me and they should have asked to sit down and discuss what measures can be taken," she said.
Ennis has since found alternative child care but said the experience has left her concerned about whether other families will face similar difficulties.
Broader Child-Care Gaps
Christine Saulnier, Nova Scotia director of the Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives, described the situation as potentially reflecting broader problems within the child-care system.
"It is a failure of the system, and I don't think we should look necessarily at the decision of the child-care center itself," Saulnier said.
Saulnier argued that Nova Scotia needs additional funding, regulation and enforcement to ensure child-care providers can offer genuinely inclusive care. She also pointed to the need for better training and support for early childhood educators working with children with disabilities.
"There's just been such a lack of understanding of the skills and qualifications it takes to ensure that these child-care environments and educators are supported in the ways they need to be," she said.
She also said providers need more resources to retain experienced staff and time to communicate with families about children's needs.
Advocates Warn Against Stigma
Brian Foster, executive director of Inclusion Nova Scotia, said child-care organizations have responsibilities under human rights principles and should work with families whenever possible to find solutions.
"Organizations have to educate themselves on their human rights responsibilities to individuals; they have to work with families wherever possible to figure out how to navigate that," Foster said.
Foster warned that treating disability primarily through the lens of risk and safety can reinforce stigma and contribute to exclusion from an early age.
"If we are constantly framing people with disabilities as a risk and as a safety concern, we are stigmatizing these people and we are setting them up for exclusion," he said.
While governments have increased investments in child care, advocates say staffing shortages, limited training and insufficient resources continue to challenge efforts to make services accessible to all children.
