Unreliable safety checks at child care facilities in the Northwest Territories have potentially jeopardized children and staff, a recent report by the Canadian auditor general revealed. The report, presented at the legislative assembly, scrutinized the Department of Education, Culture, and Employment’s provision of early learning and child care services. The audit exposed deficiencies in safety inspections, payment oversight, inclusive child care delivery, and monitoring of child-care worker recruitment.
The audit period covered April 2024 to March 2026 and involved a review of 44 inspection files from child care facilities. The auditors flagged eight high-risk deficiencies at seven facilities, such as missing smoke detectors and first aid kits. The report highlighted that the department failed to follow up adequately on rectifying these deficiencies, noting lapses like allowing a facility to reopen without verifying necessary fixes, like heating during winter months.
Additionally, around 20% of inspections were conducted using outdated standards, posing increased health and safety risks to children in licensed facilities. The auditors also raised concerns about the lack of formal training for child care inspectors, indicating that this oversight could jeopardize the safety of children and staff.
The report further revealed that the department had disbursed payments to licensed facilities without proper verification. Insufficient documentation was collected to confirm the accuracy of reports on child enrollment and staff hours, leading to potential payment discrepancies. While no evidence of fraud was found, it was stressed that the government needs to ensure accurate payment verification processes to prevent overpayments.
Moreover, the audit emphasized the territory’s commitment to enhancing early learning and child care services, including elevating staff qualifications and implementing a new wage structure in 2024. However, the report pointed out a lack of tracking regarding the recruitment and retention of child care workers following these initiatives.
Regarding the creation of new child care spaces, an agreement signed in 2021 aimed to establish 300 additional spaces for children under six by March. The audit revealed discrepancies in reporting, with 391 new spaces claimed, including some for children over six and an imbalance in space allocation among different regions. The auditors also highlighted the absence of a comprehensive needs assessment for new spaces and the lack of monitoring for inclusive spaces for diverse or vulnerable children.
In response to the audit findings, the department has committed to addressing the identified deficiencies.
