Leader staff

Slave Lake’s Baby Steps Early Learning Center is out of business as of June 12, thanks to an order from the provincial government. This is according to a June 13 news release from Alberta’s Ministry of Education and Child Care.

The release didn’t say why, specifically, just that Baby Steps was guilty of “an ongoing number of non-compliances, in violation of Alberta’s child-care legislation.”

Baby Steps had been on probation since March of this year, after government inspectors noticed various violations. Tanya Shelley, the owner and operator, told The Leader at the time most of them were quite minor things that could and would be addressed. “Administrative hiccups,” she said.

Whatever they were, three months later, the department clearly wasn’t satisfied and put an end to it. For good.

“Given ongoing concerns and unresolved issues,” said the news release, “Baby Steps Early Learning Center’s licence will not be reinstated.”

That leaves quite a few families suddenly without day care for their kids. The provider is responsible for letting them know, the news release said.

“The vast majority of child-care providers and educators in Alberta are committed to the safety and well-being of the children in their care,” the news release continues. “If a licensed child-care program is unable to meet the standards set out by Alberta’s government, it can be subject to enforcement action, including suspension of its licence and probation. Through continued monitoring, further enforcement up to and including cancellation of a licence can occur if the level of risk continues or escalates.

“If the licensed child-care program does not return to compliance during the probationary period, the suspended licence expires and its licence is not reinstated.”

The Leader reached out to Shelley for her side of the story, but had not received a response by press time.