Due to the fierce fire of Los Angeles, more than 300 child care centers were closed, which has already increased the pressure on this sector running in a delicate condition. Hundreds of families are now having difficulty in arranging their children care. Many of these closed centers have been completely destroyed by fire, while others had to stop due to ashes, debris, power supply and lack of potable water. According to California Department of Social Services, till Thursday, 37 child care centers were destroyed by fire. Apart from this, 284 other centers have stopped their service.
Centers destroyed by fire
The owners, teachers and families of the centers are trying to reopen them. Some have appointed professional cleaning companies, while others on their own are throwing bad toys and furniture, cleaning walls and washing sports equipment, so that children can be brought back again. However, it is not clear when these facilities will be resumed after seeing the scale of loss.
The State Licensing Department said that no health or safety check is needed before opening the centers again. Child care provider can accepted children for care as long as they can operate the center safely. Health department officials said in a webinar that service providers will have to clean the center themselves. It is advised to use light soap and detergent to remove soot and smoke from the walls, throw away the burnt goods and wash all the clothes that come in contact with the children.
Some centers will never be able to open now
This crisis on child care operators has come in a very difficult time as California lost a large part of the capacity of its licensed child care center, ie about 12% during the epidemic. This industry was already facing problems due to low margin. ‘Options for Learning’ chief executive Paul Palwar said that the child care system of Los Angeles is still in a very critical condition and such a devastation can shake it. He said that there will be some centers which will never be able to open again, because they will not have the necessary sources and funds.
Center operators got a big shock
Many challenges are facing many challenges to reopen the child care centers of Los Angeles. Many service providers have lost their homes, due to which their business has also come to a standstill. For example Angela Lee. He told that when he came to know that his house in Eltadena and Child Care Center was destroyed by fire, he felt that both of them lost their house and their work at once.
Some providers are working hard to re -establish these centers, while many families are now looking for other centers. For example, Daniel Swiweak, director of Woodbury Prescool Village, said that she had a pile of ashes and debris at her center, but she is constantly working for children to reopen it. During this time some parents are confused about sending the children back, because they are concerned about pollution.
New crisis for child care center
There are many problems for the operators of child care centers. Because there was no place for these centers before. Especially for the center of children in which children below two years were taken care of. Professor Bruce Fuller in UC Barkli said that care for children of this age was already low and now this crisis has made the situation even more complicated. The number of families contacting the child care centers affected due to the fire has increased. For example, ‘Options for Learning’ was contacted by 120 families to take care of children in the first week of this month, while ‘Connections for Children’ received 65 per cent more calls.
Centers demand additional subsidy
The state government is giving 30 days subsidy to such centers, which have been affected by the fire. But the ‘Child Care Providers United’ Union has demanded additional assistance, including service providers to open the center again, additional funds for cleaning work. This crisis has exposed the structural crisis within the child care system. The lack of resources in this region has created a huge challenge for families especially in times of crisis.
How will the problem be solved?
The closure of child care centers has become a serious crisis due to fire in Los Angeles, which has put families and child care service providers in a difficult position. This crisis has not only created tension for the families of the affected areas, but has made an already weaker industry more unstable. Immediately large support is needed to improve child care systems, so that families can get necessary services and also help those working in this field for re-stabilization.