The Alberta government says parents with children who attend a south Edmonton daycare have been sent letters advising them the facility has had its licence revoked. The decision comes less than three weeks after Alberta Children’s Services launched an investigation into a complaint alleging inappropriate child discipline at the daycare.
On the Human Services website, an entry about the investigation suggests the discipline is alleged to have involved one or more of either “physical punishment, verbal or physical degradation or emotional deprivation.”
On Sunday, a spokesperson with Alberta Children’s Services sent Global News a statement confirming Friday was the last day the daycare at Generations Out of School Care in south Edmonton was operational. The spokesperson said the company’s out-of-school-care program – which operates on a different licence – will remain open.
“Parents received a letter confirming the closure and indicating we will take any steps necessary, including cancelling a licence, to ensure the health, safety and well-being of the children in child care facilities,” the statement reads.
The statement did not provide further details about the child discipline complaint.
An inspection of the facility on May 24 also found insufficient staffing levels at the facility in terms of being able to ensure children are supervised at all times.
The government said 40 children were attending the daycare when it was shut down and Children’s Services staff have been working with parents to find alternate child-care arrangements.
The owner of the daycare apologized to parents and children about the inconvenience caused by the closure and said the facility has always been “committed to ensuring that child safety is of paramount significance.
“There are no confirmed incidents of child abuse and we take these types of allegations very seriously,” Prabhjit Sahnan said in a statement. “We are committed to working cooperatively with Child Care Services in any investigations.”
Sahnan also said the daycare would work with families who have used the facility for the past eight years to help them make new child-care arrangements.
“While we had been attempting resolve any outstanding concerns of the relevant regulatory bodies, at this time, our first priority is working with the families that have trusted us.”
On the Human Services website, Generations Out of School Care’s address is listed as 14936/14946 45 Avenue.
Parents who need help finding a new licensed or approved child-care program are asked to call 780-427-0444 or use the look-up tool on the Children’s Services website.
An inspection at Generations Out of School Care’s daycare facility in May of last year found the facility to be non-compliant in its staffing levels. A follow-up visit the following month did not find further violations.
-With files from Julia Wong and Shallima Maharaj
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