EXCERPTS
An 18-month-old boy from Quebec, Mickael, was expelled from his childcare centre in January and the boy’s mother claims staff told her it’s because he’s “too expensive.”
Martine Quevillon, Mickael’s mother, says that she’s extremely disappointed in the staff’s decision to exclude her son from receiving their services, especially considering the childcare centre received a large grant to provide accommodations.
She’s now much more concerned with how her son is going to get on in society, as it’s clear, from her perspective, that her son’s disability was the main contributing factor to being excluded.
The day after being expelled, the childcare centre received $35,000 to improve assistance for children. However, staff have stuck by their decision to exclude Mickael, now saying that it’s more to do with being understaffed, that he has trouble getting along with the other children, and being incapable of providing child care service to one with special needs, rather than being underfunded.
Quebec’s Minister of Families says has been alerted and says he’s deeply troubled by the development.
Mickael has since been reassigned to a new childcare centre.