Bringing down child care costs — especially to a proposed $10 per day — will be a complex undertaking that requires a “paradigm shift” in how Canadian society values early childhood development.
So says Heather Logan, a member of the Richmond Child Care Development Advisory Committee.
Logan, a long-time Richmond resident and mother of two elementary school children, says initial costs will likely be the biggest hindrance to affordable child care.
“It’s expensive and it’s not interesting to a lot of people, unless you have small kids. But at the end of the day a lot of people don’t realize how many people are not working because they cannot afford childcare,” she said.
Logan says corporate taxes should be raised to pay for the initial costs of subsidized child care. However, she believes the long-term economic benefits will counter such measures, as parents return to work full time.
Overcoming the idea of raising taxes in an economic system dominated by neoliberal thinking means society will need to recognize the value — social, economic or otherwise — of child care, she said.
“There needs to be a paradigm shift in valuing child care. It’s not just babysitting. They say from birth to four-years-old a child has learned more than they’ll learn from four to 12, in terms of sense of self, empathy, sharing, that sort of thing,” said Logan.
A significant lack of recognition from the public at large is granted to the work early childhood educators (ECE), said Logan. This is reflected in their wages; while ECEs are educated in their field and receive accreditation, their wages hover around $15/hour.
“Many early childhood educators will spot a learning disability or behavioural issue before the child enters school. They give children the best chance at a good life. Teachers (in the public school system) are overworked — they may not be able to spot a learning challenge or behavioural issue until it’s too late,” said Logan.
Her experience in child care comes mostly from putting her own kids through Treehouse Early Learning Centre in Steveston, which she believes should be the standard for child care.
“The teachers (early childhood educators) there had an amazingly positive impact on both of my kids,” said Logan.
“We adopted my daughter from China, and at 2.5 years-old we brought her home. We believed there were some learning disabilities and we had challenges, but I can never thank the teachers at Treehouse enough for the work they did with her. My daughter began to blossom right before our eyes,” she noted.
According to a City of Richmond survey of parents, the average (mean) infant child care fees are $1,271, while toddlers are charged $1,220.
Logan said the affordable child care plan needs to come from all levels of government. On the municipal side, Logan said the City of Richmond has done well to provide more spaces, however it could do better by asking more from developers.
“These developers are getting away with, I think, good deals in terms of how much space they allow for child care centres or parks or community amenities. Because once the land’s gone it’s gone,” said Logan.
Provincially, Logan has volunteered with the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC, which is an advocate for a $10/day child care proposal that has the verbal support of the new BC NDP government.
The plan is expected to cost $1.5 billion a year, according to Premier John Horgan.
But the Coalition claims that for every public dollar invested in quality child care, $2.54 will be returned to the economy.
The Coalition also notes about $500 million would be returned as tax revenue from operators, workers and working parents.
Also amongst the economic benefits cited is a potential savings of $600 million annually for B.C. employers, due to absenteeism, turnover of employees and lower productivity from workers who are parents struggling with child care arrangements.
“I’m all for a Mom or Dad who can afford to stay home and raise their children, but the reality is both parents need to work,” said Logan.
She also notes that child care costs and overall unaffordability experienced by an increasingly pinched middle class can impact birth rates.
“Housing is unaffordable, transportation is unaffordable. People have no time. It would be horrible if couples stopped having children because it’s too expensive and out of reach,” she said.
Logan said the plan needs to be implemented now and not over 10 years, as indicated by Horgan.
“And it doesn’t even need to be $10. It could be a little more,” she said.
