Press Room

UNICEF Child Care Transition Report Strengthens Canadian Child Care Federation’s Call for Federal Action on Child Care

December 11, 2008

OTTAWA -- UNICEF’s “The child care transition” report released internationally today highlights Canada’s dismal record at investing in quality early learning and child care — ranking the nation last in overall early childhood services for families.

“It comes as no shock that Canada has achieved a last place ranking,” said Canadian Child Care Federation (CCCF) President Don Giesbrecht. “Having any national leadership or dialogue at the federal political level for real child care solutions for Canada’s children and families has been extremely challenging over the last three years. During these tough economic times, families require quality, accessible and affordable child care and it is unfortunate that as a nation, Canada has failed to improve upon it’s patchwork of services.”

The UNICEF report supports the CCCF’s previous calls for national political leadership on early childhood care and education. The report also clearly emphasizes that not investing in early learning services, even in tough economic times, is the wrong direction to go. Investing in early learning and child care not only supports the family in sustaining itself economically in the present, but also builds support for the family and the child in the future.

“As a first step, rather than directing unspecified social transfer payments to the provinces and territories without any accountability as to how public funds are being spent, Canada needs to have clearly defined quality standards and accountability for its investments in its youngest citizens. Secondly, federal leaders must recognize that political ideology does not replace evidence based public policy research that clearly demonstrates how child care and early learning services benefit all Canadians, help to build a better economy, and reduce social costs down the road,” said Mr. Giesbrecht.

Canada’s largest early learning and child care organization, CCCF is a federation of 20 provincial/territorial organizations from across the country, representing 11,000 members – practitioners, academics, parents and policy makers. CCCF is committed to excellence in early learning and child care through best and promising practice, capacity building, and collaborations, networks and partnerships. For more information, visit www.qualitychildcarecanada.ca

Media contact:
Don Giesbrecht
President,
Canadian Child Care Federation
204-889-9858
Cell: 204-223-9369