CAUT | ACPPU
Canadian Association of University Teachers
CAUT Policies
CAUT Policy Statement on a National Child Care System
1
To enable parents to take advantage of post-secondary educational opportunities and to participate in the academic workforce, children must be provided with high quality care. CAUT supports the establishment of a Canada-wide system of comprehensive child care1 services, including licensed full and part-time group programs for pre-elementary and elementary school children, supervised family home care and resource and support services for parents and other care givers taking care of children at home.
2
Such a system must be founded on the following principles:
- Universality: High quality and affordable child care services should be provided to all. The range of program options should allow families to choose appropriate services to meet different needs as they arise.
- High Quality: Child care services should be licensed and regulated to ensure high quality.
- Affordability: Child care services should be publicly funded, without direct cost to families.
- Parental Role: Parents should have an active role in determining the child care environment.
- Provider Direction: Child care providers should be involved in the decision-making process.
- Sponsorship: Child care services should be non-profit and public, community-based or sponsored by employers with the participation of the users.
Approved by the CAUT Council, September 1987; revised, November 2003.
Endnote1. This includes infant care.
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