EXCERPTS

Fees out-of-sight
Re: Think first of the children, Nov. 7.

The Citizen editorial suggesting that Australia's heavily corporatized child-care model works completely disregards the abundant evidence about its failures.

Research and the Australian media report that parent fees are out-of-sight despite increases in government funding; unprofitable communities and groups of children go unserved, and litigation and concerns about poor quality are commonplace.

This is not surprising, given that making profits, rather than serving children and families, is the primary goal when child care is a profitable big business. It is fair to say that people who are knowledgeable about early childhood education and care regard Australia's experience as a good illustration of what not to do -- unless you define what works as benefits for shareholders, not children, families or the public good.

Martha Friendly, Toronto
Director, Childcare Resource and Research Unit

- reprinted from the Ottawa Citizen