Child porn case worries parents

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This article was published 13/02/2025 (407 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A wave of concern has sparked in parents following the news that police charged a daycare operator in Brandon on child pornography allegations, a local child care group administrator told the Sun.

Childhood educator Tamara Pitman, who runs a private daycare in Brandon and organizes a group to help parents connect with care, told the Sun on Wednesday that parents have become acutely worried about safety. The concern has centred around a lack of regulation on private child care, as many parents in the city depend on the service.

“This news has shaken Brandon, and leaves parents feeling worried and concerned,” said Pitman. “When children are sent to daycare, parents want ease of mind, knowing their children are in a safe environment.”

Pitman said the most common concern among parents is that “anyone” can open a private daycare in Brandon, and the place is not regulated. Trust has come into question after police last week arrested a man they allege was using kids in his daycare to create child porn.

The Brandon Police Service did not specify whether the daycare was licensed or unlicensed when it announced officers had arrested the daycare provider last week.

Tara Mills, an early childhood educator and instructor at Assiniboine College, told the Sun many families in the city depend on private daycares. In an interview on Wednesday, she said there’s a lot of pressure on families as licensed daycares are packed full.

“Most centres in Brandon, their waitlists are closed,” said Mills, who said she speaks with directors and families. “You can’t even add your child to the waitlist because they’re so big.”

When the city has shortages to that extent, it can put families under pressure and give them few options, she said. The combination of the shortage of daycare and the unregulated state of private daycares does pose risks to children, she said.

There are plenty of fantastic private daycares, but parents should be equipped with knowledge to choose great ones, said Mills. She emphasized parents should require a criminal record check, as well as a check of abuse for children and vulnerable people, and confirm the daycare provider has first aid and CPR training as a bare minimum.

The lack of spots in Brandon has made it difficult for parents, however.

“I feel like families [in these markets] are just so desperate for care, sometimes it’s like … ‘I just need a spot because I need to pay my bills.’ And sometimes it just puts people in desperate situations.”

Pitman said while the police investigation is terrifying, there are many quality child care providers in Brandon. She expressed the same advice as Mills, and recommended that parents take safety precautions around private child care.

“It’s very important, when searching for a daycare for your child, that you do a meet-and-greet interview prior to enrolling your child,” said Pitman. “Ask for child abuse registry checks, and a policy and parent contract.”

Pitman herself operates a day home in Brandon, and said parents message her “all the time” to ask for spots. She said it’s no secret that the market in Brandon has put pressure on parents.

“Waitlists are never-ending,” she said. “It’s a problem, and has been for years.”

» cmcdowell@brandonsun.com