Quick Escape 
Today, we are celebrating Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day. We would like to thank all child care workers and early childhood educators for the skill and care they consistently bring to this work.
According to the federal government, children who regularly participate in early childhood education programs are often more excited about learning and develop stronger social skills. Because of this, access to high quality, government-funded child care is important for children’s wellbeing.
Accessible child care also helps to even playing fields. It plays a much-needed role in building a more equitable society where every child has the opportunity to thrive, and their parents can go after jobs that they enjoy and which bring their families economic security. Critically, accessible, high-quality, non-profit child care services support women in their pursuit of economic freedom.
In 1970, the Royal Commission on the Status of Women called attention to the relationship between accessible child care and women’s equality. In 2024, women still take on most of the responsibility in our society for raising children. When there are few good options for child care, women’s ability to engage with the workforce becomes limited. As we have previously spoken about, the equal participation of women in the workforce is essential for the sustainability of Canada’s economy. Through Canada’s Early Learning and Child Care system, we are continuing to work towards the goal of a $10 dollar per day average cost of child care across the country by 2026.
YWCA Hamilton offers child care programs at five locations, and we regularly advocate to expand our child care offerings. In a time where child care services are often undervalued, we want to make sure that high-quality non-profit child care has a permanent place in our society for years to come.
This commitment is rooted in a deep understanding of the challenges women-led families face today, and a recognition that this is an investment in the long-term potential of children in our communities.