Access to early learning and child care

Proportion of children aged 0 to 5 years who use/participate in regulated or unregulated Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) services.

This indicator is measured in the Survey on Early Learning and Child Care Arrangements (SELCCA). SELCCA collects information from families on the different types of early learning and child care arrangements, the difficulties some families may face when looking for childcare, as well as reasons for not using child care.

Respondents are asked the following questions on their use of child care for each of their children aged 0 to 5 years:

In the past three months, did [child's name] usually attend any child care arrangements?

• Yes
• No

In the past three months, which of the following arrangements did you usually use for [child's name]?

• Daycare centre, preschool or CPE
• Care by a relative other than a parent or guardian (e.g., a grandparent)
• Care by a non-relative in the child's home (e.g., a nanny)
• Family child care home (e.g., home-based daycare or home-based child care)
• Before or after school program
• Other child care arrangement

Other SELCCA questions include the number of hours or days spent in child care per week, the location of the care, costs for child care, whether the care facility is licensed, and reasons for difficulty in obtaining child care. Information from this survey provides a snapshot of the use of early child care in Canada, and can be used to:

• understand why families choose to use or not use different types of child care arrangements;
• guide research for improving early learning programs for children; and,
• develop policies aimed at improving the accessibility and affordability of high-quality early learning and child care programs.

SELCCA results can help governments better assess various policies and programs so that child care and learning options are aligned with children's needs.

The survey's definition of "child care" does not include occasional babysitting or care by a parent/guardian.

• Survey on Early Learning and Child Care Arrangements (SELCCA)
  • Table 42-10-0004-01 – Use of early learning and child care arrangements, children aged 0 to 5 years
  • Table 42-10-0005-01 – Type of child care arrangement, household population aged 0 to 5 years, inactive

• Child care arrangements for children 0 to 5 years, 2023 (Statistics Canada – Infographics, December 5, 2023)
• Child care arrangements for children aged 0 to 5 years, 2020 (Statistics Canada – Infographics, April 7, 2021)
• Early Learning and Child Care Arrangements for Children Aged 0 to 5 years (Statistics Canada – Infographics, April 10, 2019) 

• Child care arrangements, 2023 (The Daily, December 5, 2023)
• Research to Insights: Early Learning and Child Care (A Presentation Series from Statistics Canada About the Economy, Environment and Society, July 26, 2023)
• Survey on Early Learning and Child Care Arrangements, 2022 (The Daily, June 1, 2022)

• Early Learning and Child Care Information Hub
• For information related to the provision of child care services in Canada for children ages 5 and under, at the national, provincial and territorial level, the Canadian Survey on the Provision of Child Care Services can be consulted. This survey collects data from licensed and unlicensed home-based and centre-based child care providers. Survey questions gain information on staff in centres, services provided, enrollment and daily fees as well as the extent of challenges related to COVID-19.
  • Canadian Survey on the Provision of Child Care Services, January 2021
• Federal Secretariat on Early Learning and Child Care
• Assembly of First Nations – Early Learning and Child Care
• Use of child care in the evenings or on weekends, 2022 (The Daily, November 7, 2022)
• Before and after school care in Canada, 2022 (Statistics Canada – Infographics, October 14, 2022)
• Child care use during and after the pandemic (Statistics Canada – Infographics, July 29, 2020)
• Use of child care services in Canada and mothers' employment (Statistics Canada – Infographics, July 22, 2021)
• Parents' use of child care services and differences in use by mothers' employment status (Insights on Canadian Society, July 22, 2021)