CAUT Policy Statement

1
To enable parents and other care providers to take advantage of post-secondary educational opportunities and to participate in the workforce, all children must be provided with quality early childhood education and care. CAUT supports the establishment of a Canada-wide system of comprehensive and accessible child and infant care 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 those taking care of children at home.

2
Such a system must be founded on the following principles:

• Universality: Quality and affordable early childhood education and care should be provided to all and offer a range of program options.
• Quality: Early childhood education and care should be culturally relevant, licensed and regulated to ensure quality
• Affordability: Early childhood education and care should be non-profit, publicly funded, and ideally without direct cost to families,
• Fair Employment: Workers in early childhood education should have access to good wages and benefits, job security, unionized employment, and safe working environments.
• Parental Role: Parents and guardians should have an active role in determining the child care environment.
• Provider Direction: Early childhood education and care providers should be involved in the decision-making process.

Approved by the CAUT Council, November 2003;
Editorial revisions, November 2008 and April 2015;
Approved by the CAUT Council, November 2022.