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Calls for greater community help after children poked by drug needles

A doctor encourages parents and caregivers to educate their children and, if finding a needle, to alert an adult.
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“We need more help from the city because it shouldn’t be all on the daycare to go this far with security. We need more community support services,” says one parent.

Stephen Forde is one of many parents informed by Maven Lane that children were poked by drug needles hidden in the Vernon daycare’s playground.

“We need more help from the city because it shouldn’t be all on the daycare to go this far with security. We need more community support services,” says Forde.

Maven Lane’s perimeter is surrounded by a six-foot fence. They’ve installed security cameras, outdoor lighting and hired overnight security to patrol the area.

These safety precautions are in addition to daily checks by staff.

The steps Maven Lane takes to protect children are outlined in email recently sent to parents, including the following statement:

"We check every playground, parking lot, and door well. Most days there is something to tidy up. We have cleaned up needles, feces, home made weapons, backpack contents, shopping cart contents, garbage, drugs, clothing; you name it, we've cleaned it up,” the organization says.

Despite the effort, children found a "stash of narcotic paraphernalia" well hidden in playground equipment on Friday. The children’s curiosity led to them being stuck by used needles, Maven Lane confirmed Tuesday.

Dr. Jonathan Malo, medical health officer for the North Okanagan-Shuswap understands the anxiety from both parents and the community when children get poked with a needle, saying: “We want to reassure everyone that the risk of getting sick or any disease from needle pokes in the community is very low.”

Malo adds, “It is important for children to know what to do if they find a needle.” He encourages parents and caregivers to educate their children and, if finding a needle, to alert an adult.

Staff at Maven Lane are already planning to expand their safety checks “to actively involve the children in daily checks as well as involving them in the ‘reporting’ of findings.”

They say they will also be “contacting the City of Vernon, the local shelter, and the police," in an effort to "prompt more support in keeping us safe.”

It’s a request Forde would like to see answered sooner rather than later.

“As a taxpayer, I feel so disappointed that my tax dollars don’t go anywhere to protect my children here in the city, I feel unsafe for them,” he said.