children playing

Child-care crisis also work crisis

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Author: 
Giesbrecht, Don & Flaherty, Marni
Format: 
Article
Publication Date: 
26 Aug 2019
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Most Canadians well understand there is a child-care crisis in Canada. Locating and accessing a quality child-care space is a nightmare for most parents, as is paying the child-care bills that cost significantly more per year in most regions of Canada than college or university tuition.

It’s no wonder that household debt in Canada is at record highs. But the other child-care crisis, perhaps the underlying crisis in Canada, lies with those who educate and care for our children.

Canada’s child-care workforce, more than 253,000 strong and predominantly women — about 98 per cent, according to recent Canadian data — often have the same education and credentials as a public school teacher, but earn a fraction of what they do. Ironically, many of these same women cannot earn enough to even dream of having their own children or affording the very same care they provide, as it would be unaffordable.

With little option, many leave the child-care workforce, unless they have a partner who earns enough to afford child-care.

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