ADVOCACY UPDATE - FEBRUARY 27, 2009
Dear Child Care Colleagues:
The Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada remains concerned about the corporatization of child care in Canada, and urges advocates to broadly share the open letter to Elected and Government Officials and briefing note Not in the Public Interest: Private Development and other Entrepreneurial Child Care Schemes.
Our open letter to elected and government officials states:
Many people think that you can make money out of child care and in North America and Australia many try to do so. It appears to make sense. There is a huge demand and undeveloped supply.
However market strategies are not the solution. Progressive countries do not rely on them to provide early learning and child care services for children. But we do in Canada. Perhaps this is why Canada places last, Australia second last and the US third last in the December 2008 UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre comparative analysis of the status of early childhood education and care in the 25 economically advanced countries.
The market approach and reliance on investment funds for the development of child care services has cost the Australian government and Australian parents’ dearly. Now entrepreneurs are attempting to import schemes from that country to ours. This is of great concern to those who seek improvement in the quality and affordability of child care in Canada.
The Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada provides Not in the Public Interest: Private Development and other Entrepreneurial Child Care Schemes - a briefing note that speaks to the latest entrepreneurial scheme being promoted in Canada. We urge government decision makers to beware of false solutions such as this; to undertake comprehensive due diligence if and when evaluating entrepreneurial schemes and to be proactive in advancing public policy that is accountable for quality, affordable, accessible child care.
Sincerely,
Jody Dallaire, Chairperson
Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada