Alberta NDP wants notification system, online portal to alert parents of abuse at child-care provider

The Alberta NDP wants parents to be automatically notified if a serious case of child abuse occurs at a child-care provider in the province.

The Opposition is urging the province to create a government-led notification system so that parents are notified of serious physical or sexual abuse “in a timely manner.”

They also want an online portal to be created where a child-care program’s full history would be available to the public. The portal would include inspection reports, incident history, and information on licences.

The NDP is asking Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides to make changes to the Early Learning and Child Care Act before the legislative session concludes in May.

“A child’s safety is the top consideration in every decision a parent makes. When it comes to child care, having access to a program’s history and confidence in receiving timely notifications is essential,” sad Diana Batten, the Alberta NDP shadow minister for child and family services.

The Alberta NDP also wants regular reviews of the Child Care Act to identify any possible gaps.

A licenced child-care provider in Alberta must report child abuse allegations in order to trigger an investigation, but it is not required to clearly report investigations of abuse to the families.

UCP taking ‘a closer look’

Minister Nicolaides says he is open to the NDP’s suggestions.

“We do have a portal currently, and parents can access it and see important information about daycare providers, licenses, violations, things of that nature,” Nicolaides said. “If there are opportunities to further strengthen, I’m always happy to look at that.”

He agrees transparency is important, but stresses privacy is also a concern.

“I have asked my team to take a closer look and to see what kind of information we can provide without putting anyone’s privacy or active investigation at risk.”

The NDP argues there is a way to notify the public while protecting the privacy of victims. They say a lack of information is causing more stress for parents.

“What we’re proposing would actually reduce panic and restore confidence in the system, where the current system only breeds panic and doubt,” said NDP MLA Marlin Schmidt, who represents Edmonton-Gold Bar.

Abuse allegations at Edmonton daycare

The NDP says there have been multiple instances of child abuse at child-care providers over the past year where parents have been left in the dark.

In one such instance in Edmonton last September, parents were infuriated with a daycare provider that failed to notify them quickly or clearly about an alleged sexual abuse.

A 32-year-old staff member of Edmonton daycare Willowbrae Academy Mill Creek, Dilpreet Singh Chawla, is still wanted by police on charges of sexual assault and sexual interference in alleged incidents involving two children dating to 2023.

The accused is believed to have fled the country.

The daycare initially told families a “serious incident” had occurred, without specifying further. Officials with the daycare later apologized to parents for not informing them sooner.

Willowbrae Academy followed existing provincial rules, the NDP’s Schmidt says.

“It took two months for the government investigation to take place. Two months,” he said. “And during that time, none of the parents were notified that sexual abuse had taken place in their child-care program. It took 82 days for a disclosure of an incident to be pinned to a bulletin board, which supposedly served as sufficient notice to parents.”

Addressing the ‘underlying issues’

The Association of Early Childhood Educators of Alberta (AECEA) tells CityNews in a statement it supports trust-strengthening measures.

“Proposals that emphasize transparency, accountability, and safety highlight important priorities for families and communities. Families need to feel confident that child care environments are safe and serious incidents are communicated clearly and in a timely way,” said executive director Mary-Frances Smith.

But the association says it also wants to see “underlying issues” addresses as well, like workforce capacity, professional qualifications, and working conditions.

“Any policy changes therefore must be accompanied by a comprehensive workforce strategy,” Smith said. “Safety and quality are strengthened when educators are well-trained, supported in their professional practice, and working in environments that prioritize mentorship, appropriate staffing levels, and ongoing professional learning.

“A workforce strategy must include investments in pedagogical support, clear competency development, and professional learning system that help educators continuously strengthen their practice.”