3. Lack of subsidized day care spaces for the purpose of attending educational activities is a major obstacle for women with small children. Subsidization is generally available for employment, for sole-support mothers in occupational training programs, and for families whose children require special social, psychological, physical, or educational care; but not for women seeking access to learning opportunities generally.

Recommendation: That the CCLOW develop a brief to the various levels of government which would request and justify the extension of day care subsidization for educational purposes.

4. Funding to day care service providers has been declining in recent years. This has resulted in a decline in the number of spaces available; an increase in the staff: child ratio; a decline in the resources available to operate these services; and increased competition for the limited funds available.

Recommendation: That the CCLOW develop a brief for submission to the various levels of government regarding the essential nature of day care services to women learners.

5. Current regulations regarding the deduction of day care expenses for educational purposes are very limited.

Recommendation: That the CCLOW develop a brief to the appropriate federal ministry requesting changes in the regulations governing the deduction of day care expenses for income tax purposes.

6. Full-time and part-time day care services are in short supply in some educational institutions. Drop-in and evening/night services are almost non-existent. Family care services will need to be expanded in the near future.

Recommendation: That the CCLOW sponsor a survey of day care services within all educational institutions and of current and future needs of learners of both sexes for these services.

7. The lack of training for sitters and other family care service providers is a concern because of the poor quality service often delivered by these services.

Recommendation: That the CCLOW encourage educational institutions to develop learning activities and training programs to assist family care service providers in developing better skills.

8. There is often a lack of coordination and cooperation between day care service providers and educational service providers, in terms of types of services available, inflexibility in hours, difficulties in access and transportation, and so on. These could be avoided if each side was aware of the other, of the restraints on the quality of services provided, and of the general need for expanded services. Both sides must be willing to make concessions. At the same time, both sides need to increase their awareness of the difficulties experienced by the users around scheduling, location, etc.

Recommendation: That the CCLOW encourage the development of coordinating activities between educational service providers and day care service providers.

9. There is a general lack of information within educational institutions about the current and potential need for expanded day care services; about the characteristics and needs of potential users; about how day care services enhance or detract from the major educational objectives of the institution; about how such services compare to other types of support services such as medical, counseling, housing, and recreational services. A general impression is that most educational institutions do not want to know this information.

Recommendation: That the CCLOW sponsor and/or support the development of research projects to gather the necessary information about day care services in relation to learners and learning programs; and of data banks to house the demographic data.

10. Users and potential users lack information about what services are available, where and at what cost; about how to obtain subsidized funding; about the benefits or hazards of day care services; about how to manage time and energy conflicts and the responsibilities of family, learning and self-development.

Recommendation: That the CCLOW encourage and support the development of community-based information, counseling and referral services which would provide information about day care services as one aspect of its work.