The findings of the study are significant because a growing body of research shows these skills are key to helping young children succeed in school and later in life as adults, the study says. The low levels of quality revealed in this study should be a major concern and focus of remediation for politicians, policy analysts, parents and the whole society. However, the message to parents wasn't all bad. Children are safe and are being cared for by loving, warm people. But there is an opportunity that is not being grabbed because of inadequate government funding and inadequate government regulations.
Politicians only move when there is a lot of public outcry.
Child care is the major educational and social service for young children and it serves them in their most vulnerable and developmentally sensitive years, the study notes. The highest quality care was found in British Columbia. Child care in Ontario and Alberta was mediocre, the study found. New Brunswick had the poorest quality, while Saskatchewan and Yukon ranked only slightly better. Particularly troubling for the authors was the over-all lower level of care for infants and toddlers, the youngest and most vulnerable of children in day care.