Too much of Hamilton still a child-care
desert
Hamilton’s new city council must provide more support and pay more attention to
early childhood education, writes Judith Bishop
Judith Bishop writes: ‘Why does it matter whether Hamilton families have better
access to quality child- care services? Because better access has implications for
the future of our city, which depends on a healthy and educated citizenry.’ -
FamVeld , Getty Images/iStockphoto
Why is it so hard to find licensed child care in Hamilton? The
reason is simple: there are only three spaces available for every
10 children.
A presentation I made to Hamilton City Council in 2015 showed
that Hamilton had fewer available licensed child-care spaces
than most Ontario cities, that spaces were less in lower income
and rural areas of Hamilton, and, unlike many other cities,
Hamilton provided no additional funding for child care other than
that it was required to do under provincial /municipal child-care
agreements. Little has changed in 2018.
Although Hamilton-licensed child-care spaces have increased
since 2015, these are still insufficient. The 2018 Canadian Centre
For Policy Alternatives' report "Child Care Deserts" shows that
Hamilton is the 6th lowest of large Canadian cities in its
percentage of available licensed child-care spaces compared to
the child population under school age. Hamilton has spaces for
29 per cent of children under school age, enough for just under
three out of every 10 children. In comparison, in Montreal, seven
out of every 10 children have access to a child-care spot. The
report defines a child-care desert as being a postal-code area
where at least three children are in competition for one licensed
child-care spot. In Hamilton 71 per cent of children live in a
child- care desert compared to the Canadian average of 44 per
cent. The most underserved Hamilton areas continue to be in the
lower east end of the city and the east Mountain.
Why does it matter whether Hamilton families have better access
to quality child- care services? Because better access has
implications for the future of our city, which depends on a healthy
and educated citizenry.
Early childhood education and care levels the playing field,
particularly for children from low-income families as it helps
these children realize their potential. They arrive at school better
equipped to be successful. Studies, such as the High-Scope
Ypsilanti longitudinal study, show that with quality child-care
services, children from low-income families have higher
graduation rates and more likelihood of employment and college
graduation later compared to comparable children who did not
receive these services.
Another outcome is that children's likelihood of living in poverty
as an adult were reduced. Child-care services reduce family
poverty by making it easier for both parents to work. When
accessible and affordable child-care was provided in Quebec,
workforce participation, hours worked and annual earnings
increased and poverty rates declined by 50 per cent. All these
consequences make the provision of child-care a powerful tool
for better equity, increased poverty reduction and improved
economic growth.
A new Hamilton City council must provide more support and
attention to early childhood education and care. To claim that "
Hamilton is the best place to raise a child" without the provision
of adequate child-care is a travesty.
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