Waverley Day Care in Edmonton has been ordered to close immediately due to serious health and safety concerns for the children under its care, according to a statement released by Jobs, Economy and Trade. The daycare’s operations were halted effective Thursday, impacting 54 children and 56 child-care spaces.The closure follows a series of non-compliance issues that led to the facility being placed on a probationary licence, which was initially set to expire on October 31. Despite enhanced monitoring efforts to help the daycare return to compliance, ongoing concerns about the safety and well-being of the children prompted Child Care Licensing to cancel the probationary licence early.“Due to ongoing concerns and increased risk, Child Care Licensing determined that there was an imminent danger to the health, safety, and well-being of children attending the program,” said the department in its statement.Affected parents were informed of the closure on Thursday, either in person or by email. A Notice of Cancellation outlining the reasons for the closure was also posted on the facility’s door.Jobs, Economy and Trade is offering assistance to families in finding alternative child-care options through the Child Care Lookup Tool and providing support to ensure a smooth transition.The department reminded the public that anyone with concerns about child-care programs can report issues through the Child Care Connect hotline at 1-844-644-5165.Licenced child-care programs across Alberta are regularly monitored to ensure compliance with the Early Learning and Child Care Act and regulations. Daycare operators have the right to request an administrative review or appeal of licensing decisions within 30 days.
