Parents search for backup plans as teachers consider job action

If teachers across the province walk off the job next week it's not going to have a major impact on Robin McNutt, but she knows it will present major challenges for a lot of other people.

McNutt has a 10-year-old son and an eight-year-old daughter, the latter she home schools part time. Since she's home anyway, McNutt decided she might be able to help other parents in the event of a work stoppage.

"For a lot of people around here I think it's going to be something they're going to have to look into, obviously, if the teachers do go on strike," she said.

Job action is likely

Last week McNutt was one of several people offering their services online for parents who might need child care if there are no classes. Teachers will be in a legal position to strike as of Dec. 3, making next Monday the first day there could, in theory, be no school.

Officials with the teachers union and provincial government were engaged in conciliation last week in an effort to reach an agreement but talks broke down on Friday. The union announced job action is likely on Dec. 5 and promised more details this week.

McNutt said she hears a variety of views from friends and neighbours about the situation, ranging from steadfast support for teachers to outright opposition to a strike. She suspects the latter view has at least a little to do with some parents having no child-care options, which got her thinking about opening up her home near Fall River.

Looking for alternative arrangements

While she hasn't had any calls yet, McNutt expects that to change.

"I've spoken with different parents up at the school that may need a couple days a week for their kid to be watched but that's about it."

School boards across the province recently sent a notice home to parents from the Education Department with information about the potential job action and advice that parents prepare for anything. It has groups such as the Boys and Girls Club in Truro and other organizations around the province planning to offer programs.

Daycare centres an option for some

It also has some parents turning to child-care centres in hopes of finding space as a contingency plan, but that might not be so easy.

Heather Hansen-Dunbar is a daycare operator and chairwoman of the Private Licensed Administrators Association.

She said the potential strike has been a topic of conversation for a lot of operators lately and the bottom line is there isn't a lot of space. A further complication is a site can only take school-aged kids if it is licensed to do so. There's also the issue of whether or not being there would even be developmentally stimulating or beneficial, said Hansen-Dunbar.

"Most of us might have one or two spaces," she said. "But I'm licensed for 106 children a day and they would basically have to be helpers in my toddler room."

Government asks about openings

The Education Departmentrecently issued a memo to operators advising it would make every effort to process licence-change requests in a timely manner.

Officials have also asked for informationabout any available spaces in existing programs and if any operators may be planning to offer camp-type programming for school-aged children. The department's early years branch with provide available information for interested parents.

Time for people to work together

Suzy Hansen is a member of the Halifax Regional School Board; she's also a mother of six kids, four of whom are in school.

Hansen said she's fortunate that her husband is home through the day and can stay with the kids if there is a strike, but she said now is the time for neighbours and community groups to start discussing alternative arrangements that can help ease the burden a strike would create.

"I think working together as a community would benefit everybody."