The Vote Child Care 2015 guide to child care platforms is based off of the shared vision for a national child care program that was endorsed unanimously at ChildCare2020, Canada’s fourth national child care policy conference.
Vote Child Care has organized each party's child care platform according to the eight key components of the shared vision.
A national child care program
A federal child care policy for Canada sets out core principles and goals with each province/territory designing and maintaining its own program.
Universal
Universality includes growing the system to provide appropriate spaces for all children. Universal child care is affordable and inclusive but not compulsory.
High quality
Children are viewed as active learners and parents as partners. High quality care and educations programs are democratic, fully inclusive, respect diversity and are delivered in quality environments by well trained, well supported educators.
Public funding
Substantial, sustained public funding is delivered to services, not parents, to ensure universal access and high quality. Adequate public funding for capital and other infrastructure is also available.
The child care workforce
Good wages, recognition of the value of the work and solid early childhood training are fundamental to high quality child care.
A child care system
Child care is a public good and a public system, not sold or bought as a market commodity. This means public planning, public management, public funding, public accountability based on public and non-profit services in an integrated care/early education system.
Leadership and collaboration
The federal government takes leadership while collaborating with provinces/territories; all levels of government have roles to play.
Options for families
A system designed to offer options for parents: centres, part-day, home child care and kindergarten are accompanied by broader family policy including well-paid flexible parental leave, income security, good jobs.