Data

Alas, Canada does an especially poor job at collecting and analyzing data on how, where and why young children are cared for and what are the effects of this early childhood education and care.

Data on Early Learning and Care/Early Childhood Education and Care – A series of slides with information and an overview of the state of child care data in Canada. (PDF)

Data From The Labour Market Update Study

Number of Children in Various Child Care Arrangements, 1994/1995 and 2000/2001

Children 0 to 5 years Children 6 to 11 years
1994/1995 2000/2001 % Change 1994/1995 2000/2001 % Change
Child Population 2,400.000 2,076,255 -13.5 2,450,000 2,438,920 -0.5
Relative Care 200,200 176,300 -11.9 122,400 186,300 52.2
Regulated Care
Child Care Centre 188,000 274,500 46.0 108,100 309,900 186.7
Family Child Care 79800 109000 36.6 28,900 50,600 75.1
Unregulated Care
Family Child Care 303,000 225,000 -25.7 211,200 263,400 24.7
Child’s Own Home 127,600 119,000 -6.7 86,300 142,000 64.5

Source: Statistics Canada (2001), NLSCY Cycle 1 for 1994/1995 child care arrangements NLSCY Cycle 4 Remote Data Analysis for 2000/2001 child care arrangements.

Percent employed, women with partners, 1976, by age of youngest child

Youngest <3 Youngest 3-5 Youngest 6-15
% % %
1976 27.7 36.2 45.7
1977 29.3 37.0 46.4
1978 32.2 40.4 48.5
1979 34.8 42.8 50.3
1980 37.1 44.7 52.7
1981 40.0 46.2 55.4
1982 40.1 46.4 55.1
1983 43.1 48.5 55.1
1984 45.3 49.7 56.9
1985 47.9 52.8 59.1
1986 51.2 55.5 62.1
1987 52.0 57.2 64.4
1988 53.9 59.6 67.2
1989 55.2 60.7 69.7
1990 55.8 61.4 71.0
1991 57.2 62.4 70.9
1992 57.5 62.4 69.4
1993 58.7 62.6 70.5
1994 59.8 61.9 70.3
1995 59.8 64.4 71.7
1996 61.2 63.4 71.4
1997 62.1 65.1 72.8
1998 63.2 66.6 73.4
1999 63.1 68.4 74.4
2000 62.9 70.0 75.1
2001 63.6 68.5 75.7

Source for Tables 6.1 and 6.2 Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, cited in Statistics Canada, Women in Canada:Work chapter updates, Catalogue Number 89F0133XIE

Children in paid child care arrangements with mothers in labour force

Year Children (0-5 years) with Mother in Labour Force Number of Children in Remunerated Child Care Arrangements Percent of Children with Employed Mothers in Remunerated Child Care
1967 357,000 147,000 41.18
1981 963,000 480,000 49.84
1988 1,061,000* 533,000 50.24
1995 1,061,000 738,400 54.28

* Includes children with mothers who are studying or in the labour force.

Sources: 1967 and 1981 Data – Special Parliamentary Committee on Child Care (1987); 1988 Data- Canadian Council on Social Development, Centre for International Statistics; 1995 Data – NLSCY (1996) calculations by consultants.