The report examines kindergarten and child care for kindergartners in communities in New Brunswick, Québec, Ontario and Alberta. The report describes recent changes in early childhood policies and programs, and explores options for future action. It is the only early childhood education research in Canada to combine the views of parents, teachers, child care staff, government and key informants with program observations in analyzing the current situation, the impact of change and prospects for the future. The report recommends that the federal government take leadership in establishing a federal/provincial partnership to fund, implement and evaluate demonstration school-based integrated early childhood education programs for kindergarten, and Québec, due to its innovative early childhood reform, can provide provincial expertise.