Metro Toronto Child-care Survey of Parents and Their Child-care Arrangements

This survey was conducted through interviews with a sample of families from all socio-economic levels. The average educational attainment was partial completion of secondary school. The respondents were roughly divided between those of English origin and those of other ethnic groups; and between those who were foreign-born and those who were Canadian-born.

In general, the data support the information presented in the proceeding tables. In addition the survey found that:

1. Parents travel four (4) times further to reach day care centres than to reach a sitter caregiver.

2. Most parents do not know what activities their children are involved in while they are in the care of a sitter. Many children in private sitter arrangements (i.e. unsupervised by any government agency) received little or no program enrichment. Many watched an average of 2 hours of television per day. This amount of television viewing is double the maximum recommended by the Ministry of Community and Social Services.

3. Children cared for in high rise apartments in private sitter arrangements, are less likely to go outdoors on a regular basis than those cared for in smaller housing units.

4. In the absence of external constraints such as finances or work schedules, most parents would prefer to have their children cared for in day care centres.

5. Most parents believe the optimum day care arrangement for children aged 2 to 5 years is in a group day care centre. Most believe the optimum day care arrangement for an infant under 2 years is by a sitter in a household setting.

6. Distinctions are made between group care and family care services on the basis of factors relating to convenience to parents and factors relating to quality of care provided. Factors of convenience (eg. distance to travel, flexibility of hours) were viewed as good features (advantages) for family care services but bad features (disadvantages) of group care services. Factors of quality of care provided to the child (eg. enriched program, trained personnel, provision for social growth) were viewed as disadvantages of family care services but advantages of group care services.

7. Day care centres are most likely to be used by Canadian-born and/or English-speaking families; by those in the upper and lower socio-economic: groups; by those families with a single child over 2 years of age. Family care arrangements are most likely to be used by parents born outside Canada; by those with resident relatives from the extended family; and by those in the middle socio-economic group.

Single parents are most likely to use day care centres and sitters; and rarely use relative-sitters.