Child care is the care of a child, no matter who provides that care. Families have diverse care needs and rely on a variety of forms of care to meet those needs. Public policy best serves families when it offers flexibility and choice. Child-care policies should be equitable for all families, regardless of the type of care they choose. Universal child-care systems fail to recognize the diverse care needs of parents in Manitoba and their reasons for the type of care they choose.
- Of Manitoba children under age six, about 49 percent are parental care only.1
- The majority of Manitoba children under age six will receive no benefit from funds designated for centre-based spaces.
- About 4 percent of Manitoba children under age six are in parental care because the parent could not find another option.2
- Of all Manitoba children under age six (those in non-parental child care and those who are not), about 26 percent are in centre-based care or preschool.3
Manitoba should take a neutral, evidence-based approach and respect the diversity of care that parents use.