What now for child care? was a two-day policy symposium that gathered over 60 researchers, Indigenous experts, advocates, policy makers and child care sector stakeholders from across Canada in an in-person event in Ottawa June 9–10, 2022. The symposium was sponsored by Re-imagining care/work policies [1], a SSHRC Partnership Grant project, which focuses on the intersections between child care, parental leave and employment for diverse families. CRRU and Child Care Now, both community partners on the SSHRC project, collaborated with other members of the SSHRC project to organize the event.
The event’s purpose was to take stock of how far early learning and child care policy has come on the path to a quality, inclusive early learning and child care (ELCC) system for all. Recognizing that we have achieved the first significant benchmark of agreements with all provinces and territories, it is important to now drill down on the next steps in implementing those agreements and associated action plans. The symposium – designed to generate free-flowing, inclusive exchange of ideas –was organized by four main policy topics and four policy propositions.
Following a welcome and land acknowledgement by sociologist, Canada Research Chair and the SSHRC grant PI Andrea Doucet, the first day of the symposium was structured by four topical panels, each starting with the presentations by the panelists and followed by a Q&A. Susan Prentice, Duff Roblin Professor of Government & Sociology, University of Manitoba, one of the event’s organizers, moderated the panels and the participant discussion.
A highlight of the symposium’s first day was a mid-day address by the Honourable Karina Gould, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development. Minister Gould reinforced the need for all of us to work collaboratively to build a Canada-wide ELCC system, calling it a "nation-building project.”
Note: Click on the presentation titles to access presentation slides in PDF format.
Inuit Nunangat and the Inuit early learning and child care landscape [2] by Amy Graham (Senior Policy Advisor, Inuit Tapirat Kanatami)
Métis early learning and child care [3] by Sharlene Wedel (Senior Director of Education and ELCC, Métis National Council)
Indigenous rights and distinction-based approach (presentation slides not available) by Karen Isaac (Executive Director at BC Aboriginal Child Care Society)
On the second day of the symposium, attendees participated in a lively plenary discussion on the four draft policy propositions, facilitated by Vicky Smallman, President of the Child Care Now board and National Director of Women’s and Human Rights, Canadian Labour Congress.
The participants were invited to reflect on four draft policy propositions and share their feedback or suggestions during facilitated conversations on the following draft policy propositions:
Please note that these policy propositions were draft – to be discussed and were not finalized. Rather they will be the basis of ongoing discussion as the child care movement and allies collaborate to develop next steps in implementing a Canada-wide child care system.
A report prepared by Child Care Now will be made available here in the near future.
The video below is a collection of pictures from the "What now for child care?" symposium.
Watch video online [13]
The symposium was wrapped up with discussion about potential research, actions and campaigns among participants in their respective organizations and communities. The discussions brought to attention different action proposals, including but not limited to:
Cohesive key messaging in social media campaigns and resources distributed to the public;
A detailed report of the symposium is being prepared by Child Care Now and will be made available soon.
A public webinar to further discuss the outcomes of the symposium and next steps in child care policy making, advocacy and research will be held later in summer 2022.
CRRU is developing a new resource that will provide ongoing information, research, and tools to be used by researchers, advocates policy makers and the child care sector in this next phase of implementing the ELCC agreements.
Links
[1] https://childcarecanada.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=80bb273f376b0a3f99dfd76b4&id=e7425b7c95&e=6503cd1683
[2] https://childcarecanada.org/sites/default/files/Panel%201a%20-%20Inuit%20Nunangat%20_%20Inuit%20ELCC%20landscape%20-%20Amy%20Graham.pdf
[3] https://childcarecanada.org/sites/default/files/Panel%201b%20-%20Metis%20ELCC%20-%20Sharlene%20Wedel.pdf
[4] https://childcarecanada.org/sites/default/files/Panel%202a%20-%20Child%20care%20fees%20-%20David%20Macdonald.pdf
[5] https://childcarecanada.org/sites/default/files/Panel%202b%20-%20ELCC%20agreement%20%26%20affordabitlity%20-%20Jane%20Beach.pdf
[6] https://childcarecanada.org/sites/default/files/Panel%202c%20-%20%2410aDay%20Child%20Care%20in%20BC%20-%20Lynell%20Anderson.pdf
[7] https://childcarecanada.org/sites/default/files/Panel%203a%20-%20Availability%20%26%20expansion%20-%20Martha%20Friendly.pdf
[8] https://childcarecanada.org/sites/default/files/Panel%203b%20-%20Expansion%20insights%20from%20Quebec%20-%20Sophie%20Mathieu.pdf
[9] https://childcarecanada.org/sites/default/files/Panel%203c%20-%20Expansion%20-%20Christine%20McLean.pdf
[10] https://childcarecanada.org/sites/default/files/Panel%204a%20-%20Education%20of%20ECEs%20-%20Christopher%20Smith.pdf
[11] https://childcarecanada.org/sites/default/files/Panel%204b%20-%20Working%20conditions%20%26%20retention%20-%20Jane%20Beach.pdf
[12] https://childcarecanada.org/sites/default/files/Panel%204c%20-%20Decent%20work%20-%20Carolyn%20Ferns.pdf
[13] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A-NO-ne_8w