A University of B.C. professor says a broader group of business and political leaders must mobilize to address the number of children unprepared for the classroom.
Dr. Paul Kershaw, who drew an audience of 70 participants from social agencies during his first talk in Prince George, said more attention is needed for the 30 per cent of children who are not ready to enter school and therefore will be less ready for jobs.
"Most of these children are not money poor. They are just time and service poor.
The vulnerable children can't hold a pencil, can't climb stairs, don't know 10 letters of the alphabet, can't follow instructions or get along well with their peers. It's a prediction for school failure and jail in the future."
He said to continue at this high rate of vulnerability in children will cost the B.C. economy more than $400 million over the next 60 years in increased costs like welfare, health care and crime.
He said the province's recent move to provide kindergarten to all five year olds is one important step in plugging the gap, but it's a modest step.
Spending time with children needs to start a lot earlier, with steps like enhanced parental leave to provide 18 months for one parent to be home full time after the birth of a child.
"We need to add six months for dad to be home on top of what the mother gets.
"We also need to eliminate poverty among children under 18 months" by providing higher employment insurance and higher basic pay, for example, he said.
"After 18 months there should be child care service programs in place for early learning for two, three and four year olds to learn and be ready for school while the parents work to make a living.
Kershaw thinks the work week should be 30 to 36 hours, instead of 40, with workers getting two to five weeks vacation spread throughout the year.
The idea is to reduce the conflict and stress between work and home as well as absenteeism and the need to recruit and retain people in the workforce.
"Every year In B.C. 11,000 workers decide not to stay in the labour market because of this."
Kershaw was the guest recently of organizations such as Children First and Success by Six.
