ADVOCACY UPDATES - MARCH 31, 2008
Dear Child Care Colleagues:
All across the country people are talking about child care. Below you’ll find information on a recent pan-Canadian conference call, as well as information on a cross-Canada child care tour currently taking place with Australian researcher Dr. Deborah Brennan. Hope to see you at one of the many events taking place across the country highlighting Dr. Brennan’s important Australian child care lessons learned.
Pan Canadian Conference Call on Early Learning and Child Care
From the appointment of a special advisor in Ontario to a feasibility study in BC and a new special cabinet committee in New Brunswick, discussions about early learning and child care and provincial education systems are gaining momentum in several provinces. Recently, the CCAAC board of directors hosted a pan-Canadian conference call to share preliminary information about these developments. While it appears that government’s plans are still in the early stages, participants discussed the potential for finally achieving publicly-funded early learning and child care services based on key principles of quality, universality and democratic control. Participants also noted the challenges of ensuring that the way forward consistently incorporates these principles, while supporting seamless, holistic services for children and working families. The CCAAC will continue to work with members, provincial partners and networks to monitor early learning and child care policy as it unfolds and to promote the key principles of a publicly-funded system. Stay tuned!
The Corporatization of Child Care in Australia: It’s Not as Easy as ABC
Code Blue for Child Care and the CCAAC are pleased to facilitate cross-Canada speaking engagements for Dr. Deborah Brennan, one of Australia’s leading researchers in comparative welfare, children’s services and family policy. Dr. Brennan is Professor of Social Policy in the Social Policy Research Centre at the University of New South Wales.
Dr. Brennan is in Canada to share her expertise on Australian child care policy. It is interesting to note that Australia was once home to a thriving, community-based non-profit child care sector. In the early 1990’s Australia moved to a market-based approach, with almost all government support for child care now channeled through a voucher-style subsidy to parents. Dr. Brennan examines the arguments used to facilitate this shift in Australian child care policy, and some of the consequences.
Given the similarities between our two countries, we think that Canadians should be well-informed about the Australian experience. Furthermore, we believe that Dr. Brennan’s expert analysis could make an important contribution to child care policy development in Canada.
Dr. Brennan will be speaking at several public events across the country. Click here to find an event in your area. For those who live outside the communities included on this tour, the CCAAC is exploring ways to share her analysis. One or more of her presentations will be filmed, so we will provide a web site link when that is complete. We are also considering hosting a pan-Canadian conference call at noon EST April 10, 2008. If you are interested in participating on this call, please email jmcdonnell@ccaac.ca with your name and contact information by April 4, 2008.
Jody Dallaire
Board Chair,
Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada