Lynell Anderson, CGASenior Researcher, UBC Human Early Learning

Partnership

Child Care Advocate

Beyond the ‘Buts’: Implementing Rights in Early

Childhood in Canada

Dignity for All Policy SummitOttawa, Ontario March 4, 2011

Rights, Research and Lived Reality affirm need for

Universal Access to Quality Child Care

But, what about …?

1. Parental care (Moms)?

2. Other public services under stress?

3. The cost?

4. The private sector?

In BC, children under 6:

TodayECEC

System

44% Parental Care Only 37%

33% Regulated Care 63%

23% Unregulated Care 0%

100% 100%

Source: Lynell Anderson, B.Comm., CGA and YWCA Canada

Quality

Universality

Public $ (e.g. Taxes)

Private $ (e.g. Fees, Fundraising)

QualityUniversalSystem

access

$

Public Systems: Praised and Pressured

Source: Lynell Anderson, B.Comm., CGA and YWCA Canada

Qualitygap

($)Affordability

gap

Expansion gap

100%of children

Universality(access)

Public $

Private $(Parent fees)

20% Affordable Parent Fees

ECEC in Canada TodayQuality & Access Gaps Performance Indicators

Quality

0.22%

Source: Adapted from Starting Strong ll: Early Childhood Education and Care, September 2006, p.11

Denmark

Sweden

Norway

Finland

France

Hungary

Austria

United Kingdom

United States

Netherlands

Germany

Italy

Australia

Canada

0% 0.5% 1.0% 1.5% 2.0%

BC

Canada

Canada (outside Quebec)• Few spaces• Insufficient quality • High cost• Inadequate Inclusion

British Columbia• Currently 0.22% of GDP• 0.28% with full school-day K

OECDavg.0.7%

UNICEF & EUbenchmark1.0%

0.25%0.28%

% of GDP

Significant Public Investment in ECEC Required

2008 Competitiveness

Ranking4

1563

16248

12721

182210

Support for Families with Young Children:Canada Ranks Poorly

2008

Family PolicyCountry Score/10Sweden 10Norway 8Finland 8Denmark 8France 8New Zealand 6Netherlands 5UK 5Germany 4Switzerland 3US 3Australia 2Ireland 1Canada 1

2008 Gender Gap

Ranking3127

1559

13111427248

31

Source: World Economic Forum and UNICEF

Countries ranking higher than Canada on all 3 scales

Growing Awareness of Social & Economic Benefits

Municipal Services

Education

Health

Child Welfare

Early Interventi

on

Criminal Justice

Social Developmen

t

Children

Families

Business

Economic Growth & Developm

ent

Neighbourhoods &

Communities

Proven product – only if quality

Demonstrated demand – only if affordable

Real returns – for children, families, economy, society

Containable costs? - establish staff compensation, fee & access targets, yet … quantifiable time periods, stable birth rate, low technology, choice of family support programs available.

Outcomes (quality, universality) achievable

‘Public Investment Plan’ elements in place for ECEC

Source: Lynell Anderson, B.Comm., CGA and YWCA Canada

Qualitygap

20%

Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 QualityUniversalSystem

Affordability gap

Expansion gap

100%of children

Public $

Private $(Parent fees)

Affordable Parent Fees

Quality

($)

Universality(access)

ECEC System Implementation: Establish Priorities, Timelines & Targets

A Tale of Two Canadas: • Raise public awareness • Empower • Hold governments accountable

when tasked with rolling out a complex and time-sensitive initiative … departments worked together to achieve timely implementation while paying considerable attention to risk …

when senior officials give priority to large initiatives like the Economic Action Plan, public servants rise to the challenge (Fraser, 2010)

Canada’s Auditor General observes: