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New evidence about child care in Canada: Use patterns, affordability and quality

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IRPP Choices, vol. 14, no. 2
Author: 
Cleveland, Gordon; Forer, Barry; Hyatt, Douglas; Japel, Christa & Krashinsky, Michael
Format: 
Report
Publication Date: 
7 Oct 2008

Excerpts from the press release:

The large majority of employed Canadian mothers use child care, and it is the mother's income that determines the amount families spend on nonparental care, according to a new study from the Institute for Research on Public Policy.

The study found that while nearly 80 percent of preschool children with employed or studying mothers receive nonparental care regularly, much of Canada's existing child care services fail to provide adequate stimulation. The authors show that outside Quebec average annual spending on child care by Canadians with preschool children is $4,500 for all families in which the mother is employed part-time and $6,900 for families in which the mother is employed fulltime. Moreover, the cost of good quality regulated care can be $9,000 or more.

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