Advocates identify opportunities to advance child care in Canada
On July 18, child care advocates from across the country gathered in Ottawa, Ontario to address the current political challenges obstructing families from accessing affordable, high quality, inclusive, early learning and child care programs.
“We’re working together to convince governments to implement our proposed Shared Framework for building an inclusive early childhood education and care system,” said Morna Ballantyne, Executive Director of the Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada.
Representatives from more than 35 local, provincial and national groups attended the meeting to identify opportunities to advance a collective vision for child care in Canada.
“Everyone in the room left the meeting determined to keep up the pressure for more and better, including with respect to all matters touching the child care workforce,” said Don Giesbrecht, CEO of the Canadian Child Care Federation.
The national child care meeting was convened following the federal government’s June release of a multilateral agreement that will guide the spending of federal funds earmarked for child care over the next eleven years. Bilateral agreements between the federal government and each territory and province will confirm the distribution of the funds and on what the money will be spent.
Child care advocates drew up plans to monitor and influence the outcome of the remaining bilateral negotiations and to continue to push both levels of government for real system reform and improvements.
For regular updates and to join the effort, sign up at www.childcareforall.ca.