Excerpts:
In 2011, the Coalition of Child Care Advocates and the Early Childhood Educators of BC released a Community Plan for a Public System of Integrated Early Care and Learning. The Plan offers a concrete, innovative ‘made in BC' solution to the child care crisis facing families with young children.
If and when government puts the Plan in place, child care will cost families $10 a day for a full-time program, $7 a day for part-time, and no user fee for families with annual incomes under $40,000. Every young child will have the right to participate in quality early care and learning programs that meet their needs. It will be up to families to choose what services work for them.
With new investments from the province, locally elected school boards will provide early care and learning programs with the operating funds needed to deliver quality care. Early Childhood Educators will receive the respect and remuneration they deserve.
This fourth fact sheet in the series highlights the relationship between the early care and learning plan and a poverty reduction strategy for BC.
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Affordable, high quality child care is key to an effective poverty reduction strategy. Along with increased welfare rates, a living wage for all, and affordable housing, the Community Plan for A Public System of Early Care and Learning is the single quickest way government can help BC families and their children move out of poverty.
Experts agree that the $10/day child care Plan will reduce poverty in a number of ways.