TABLE 11.

Number of day care spaces in group care and family care services (various years).

Group care services

Family care services

  spaces available  spaces available
         
  Number Rate of change Number Rate of change

from previous year
from previous year
         
1973 25,249 1,562
         
1974 50,996 +102% 4,185 +168%
         
1975 65,281 +28% 4,671 +12%
         
1976 78,153 +20% 5,367 + 15%
         
1977 76,117 - 3% 5,534 + 3%



Source:

Health and Welfare Canada, National Day Care Information Centre, Status of day care in Canada, yearly reports from 1973, (Ottawa: Health and Welfare Canada, 1973 - 1977).

Comment:

Table 11 indicates that there has been an overall increase in day care spaces since 1973, but that there was a decline in spaces from 1976 to 1977. This may partly reflect an increased demand for family care services and a decline in the demand for group care services, but is more likely caused by a decline in the levels of government funding from 1976.

This decline in funding affected the level to which governments were prepared to fund the setting up and maintenance of centres. Fewer new centres opened and in some centres there was a reduction in the number of spaces made available.

The decline also affected the level to which families were subsidized for day care services. As subsidies decreased and as inflation caused middle income families to remove their children from centres, the number of children declined. This reinforced the reduction in available spaces.

The changes in spaces available varies also by the type of sponsoring agency involved. There was a general decline in group care spaces available through government and public agencies, through community agencies and through private commercial agencies. However, there was a large increase (35%,) in the number of spaces available through parent cooperatives.


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