Open letter from Manitoba Child Care Association and Child Care Coalition of Manitoba

Excerpts:

We call upon you to build an integrated public system of early learning and child care (ELCC), drawing on the international best practices identified by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). We recommend that you establish a Commission on Integrated Early Learning and Child Care for Manitoba with the mandate and resources to develop and propose a multi-year plan for ELCC. This plan should be based on:

• a systematic and integrated approach to early learning and child care policy
• a strong and equal partnership with the education system
• a universal approach to access, with particular attention to children in need of special support
• substantial public investment in services and infrastructure
• a participatory approach to quality improvement and assurance
• appropriate training and working conditions for staff
• systematic attention to data collection and monitoring; and
• a stable framework and long-term agenda for research and evaluation.