1975   New child care regulations were passed under the authority of The Family Services Act describing eligibility, the process of licensing, standards of operation and available grants and subsidies. Family day care homes and child day care centres which were incorporated, non-profit and parent controlled could be licensed and were eligible for funding.

1980  An interdepartmental government report, The Day Care Review, identified affordability, availability, and quality as key issues.

Action Child Care, an advocacy group based in Saskatoon, was established.

1980's   Very little expansion in services or funding. Growth of unlicensed centres.

1990  The Child Care Act and Regulations were proclaimed requiring licensing of all centres and establishing increased training requirements of 130 hours.

1992  The Minister of Social Services appointed a Child Care Advisory Board to advise on current child care issues and to assist in the establishment of long-time program directions. There are eight community participants representing provincial and national child care organizations.

The province introduced a tuition subsidy of one- third of the cost of the 130-hour required orientation course for child care staff.

A review of child care in Saskatchewan was completed resulting in the report Breaking New Ground in Child Care, which provides a framework for child care reform in Saskatchewan. The review identified these guiding principles for child care:
1) parents should be free to choose their preferred child care (licensed or unlicensed);
2) affordability should not be a barrier to choice, and;
3) child care should be community-based and provide responsive programming.

1993  Grants were introduced to encourage initiation of work-related child care centre. They will cover 50% of development and capital costs up to a total of $10,000.

1995  A number of initiatives in response to the principles for reform identified in the child care review were introduced. An education campaign was introduced to assist parents in selecting and monitoring child care arrangements. Child care resource centres were established throughout the province. Subsidies for infants and toddlers were increased and new child development grant rates were established. Funds were also made available for the development of pilot projects in rural and northern Saskatchewan.

Differential subsidies by age group were introduced.