– For us as parents, it is not enough to hearthat the situation is difficult. We already know that. We live with the consequences every day, writes the parent group.
They were behind it the demonstration on 1 May against the conditions in the daycare centerswhere several hundred parents, children and staff participated.
The demonstration ended in front of Katuaq, where several politicians met the demonstrators with great understanding, but this is not enough for the parent group.
They do not believe that Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq has come up with sufficient answers to the criticism of staff shortages and lack of well-being in the institutions.
The group is now responding to committee chairman Poul Petersens statements in Sermitsiaqwhich according to them are insufficient. They don’t want any more excuses.
– What we lack is action.
Comes with concrete proposals
– We recognize that the municipality is in a difficult situation. But the municipality cannot be content with saying that there is a staff shortage. The municipality still has responsibility for acting on what it can actually act on.
Therefore, the parents’ group has made a list with a number of concrete proposals for how the municipality can act on the situation. Among other things, they propose written responses to parents’ inquiries, clear guidelines for parent boards and permanent contact persons. (See more in fact box)
The group emphasizes that they are not trying to take over the municipality’s responsibility.
– It is about us being taken seriously as business partners. Parental boards are not decorations. They are a statutory part of the collaboration around the children.
According to the parents’ group, the problems are not only about a lack of staff, but also about a lack of information, insufficient parental involvement and pressured managers.
– Day care centers are not just about care. They are children’s first encounter with the community outside the home. This is where children’s security, language, relationships, culture, play, physical development and trust in adults are shaped, the parents’ group writes.
Children feel it when adults are under pressure
The parents’ group also believes that the municipality should think more broadly in solving the staff shortage and investigate how other professional groups can support children’s well-being and development as a supplement to the educators.
– The same applies to the terms of the staff. Children feel it when adults are under pressure. Children feel it when there are no permanent adults. Children feel it when the leader can’t be a leader, because everyday life has to be put out all the time.
They emphasize that the children cannot wait for more general explanations, but need adults who act now.
– An answer without concrete dates, responsible persons and next steps is not enough.
