The decisions that Canadians make today about early learning and child care will have an impact for decades to come. And often the experiences of other countries can serve as an inspiring model - or a cautionary tale. As part of its work to help provide informed discussion and debate around policy-making decisions, the Canadian Council on Social Development is sponsoring a Briefing Session with Australian social policy analyst Lynne Wannan. Ms. Wannan has just spent the last four weeks criss-crossing Canada to talk about the lessons Australia has learned since it began changing its funding for child care in 1991. During her Canadian travels, Ms. Wannan also listened to the experiences of a cross-section of parents, front-line workers, policy-makers, and municipal and provincial bureaucrats and politicians. The combination of her Canadian learnings and her knowledge of the Australian experience creates a unique information package, adding significant knowledge about this important issue. Ms. Wannan's briefing session will include information about the following: - Access to child care for immigrants, Aboriginal populations, children with special needs, and low-income and rural families; - The status of community-based child care programs and those run by small owner/operators; - Increased resources needed to monitor and prosecute violations; - Training and working conditions for those in ELCC. This presentation will be her last before she returns to Australia. Following the briefing, there will be an opportunity for a short question and answer period.
