Southeast Edmonton daycare shut down due to 'imminent' health and safety concerns

The Alberta government has shut down an Edmonton daycare due to escalatinghealth and safety concerns for the children under the facility's care.

Waverley Daycare, at 6825 89th Ave. inKenilworth, was ordered to cease operations operations effective Oct. 10, the province said Friday the second forced closureof an Edmonton daycare this week.

On Wednesday, the province shut down Willowbrae Academy West Point Centre, at 175th Street and 99A Avenue, over safety concerns.

In a news release Friday, the province saidWaverley Daycarehad been operating on a probationary licence as a result of a number of non-compliances. The term was originally set to expire Oct. 31.

"Since the probationary licence was issued, Child Care Licensing has worked with the program through enhanced monitoring to support them in returning to compliance," the news release said.

"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, resulting in Waverley Day Care's probationary licence being cancelled early."

The closure affects54 children.

Provincial officials provided few details on the nature of the health and safety concerns but anotice posted to the doorof the daycare on Friday morning detailed the infractions.

The order says the closure was triggered several by non-compliance issues that werereported between Oct. 3 and Oct. 9.

Officials found that medication was not kept locked as required by regulation, and that emergency medications had not been stored in accordance with a child's health-care plan.

Inspections also found that achild was served food listed as a dietary restriction on their emergency records, that scheduled morning snacks had been skipped repeatedly.

The notice also details how broken or incomplete toys had been offered to children, attendance records were inaccurate and "child guidance practices were not reasonable."

Alberta Health Services inspection reportsfor the daycare also detail a string of recent violations.

Standard procedures for safely changing diapers were not being followed, first-aid supplies were not available on site and surfaces and equipment were not being properly cleaned and disinfected.

Parents and caregivers affected by the closure of the program were notified in person on Thursday. Clients not informed in person were notified by email using the contact information provided by the child-care provider, the province said.

Sohini Das, whose five-year-old son had been attending Waverley Daycare for two months, told CBC News on Friday she never had any concerns about compliance issues.

She said the staff were professional and her son seemed to be happy and thriving there.

Das said she was shocked to hear about the closure on Thursday afternoon and had to scramble to find another child-care centre for her son. She found another option, but said the location is less convenient.