A study of early child care services in Newfoundland and Labrador : development, current status, and quality

King, Judy Frederickia (1989) A study of early child care services in Newfoundland and Labrador : development, current status, and quality. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The importance of the early years of childhood has been established by research. Parents are recognizing the value of providing their children with appropriate early experiences which will stimulate growth in the social, emotional, physical, and intellectual areas of development. Major world nations have been addressing the issue and developing systems of child care in an attempt to meet the needs of their people. In Canada each province has assumed responsibility for the provision of child care services. The degree of progress that each has made has been dependent upon the emphasis which each government has afforded child care and in turn the amount of funding they have allotted. -- In Newfoundland and Labrador the child care system has been slow in its development. The pattern of that development has not previously been recorded, nor is there any recent literature available which presents an overview of the current status of child care services in this province. Through data collected from interviews with persons representing agencies involved in the development and provision of child care services and from questionnaires completed by parents, as well as from observation sessions at a random selection of centers, the researcher has attempted to trace the pattern of development of child care services in the province, to provide information relating to its current status, and to indicate the degree to which parents are satisfied with these services. -- Findings of the study indicate that the number of available child care spaces is well below what is needed. While parents appear satisfied with the current services, the need for a number of improvements became evident from other areas of the study. Funding for child care centers, improvement of outdoor play spaces and rest areas, training for center personnel, establishment of minimum qualifications for those working in child care centers, development of programs and the supply of materials and equipment for implementing them, and the enhancement of staff-parent communication and parent involvement are aspects of the current system which need attention. -- In light of these findings recommendations are made to government which suggest the need to increase the number of spaces, to increase funding to parents and centers, to provide different models of care, to develop programs for centers and to hire more persons to help centers implement and carry out their programs, to provide training opportunities for those already in the field, and to encourage the development of nonprofit centers which would allow for more parent participation. It is recommended that centers provide for more parent involvement and develop regular lines of communication between themselves and parents. The aim implicit in all of these recommendations is the provision of the highest possible standard of care for young children.

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