Is daycare mandatory for my child?

In Canada, parents aren't required to enroll their preschoolers in a daycare. Even in Quebec, where daycare is subsidized for all families, it's optional. However, it can stimulate a child’s development, making it advantageous for them to attend, even if it’s only part time.

Attending daycare is not mandatory, but it can do a child a lot of good. Why?

• Spending time in a safe environment with other children can help a child develop his or her motor skills, social skills, communication and pre-literacy learning.
• What's more, at a quality daycare, children are stimulated and engaged with learning: they quickly learn how to get along with others; may improve their language skills and learn to respond to other authority figures in a healthy way.
• In addition, children who attend a daycare are often better prepared for school, where they generally adapt more easily.

Daycare centres and home daycares, whether they’re regulated or not, each have their advantages and disadvantages.

• Children who attend a home daycare benefit from having the same caregiver for several years. However, when a home-based caregiver needs to interrupt services (for pregnancy, illness or vacations, for example) it means parents have to find other childcare arrangements for the interim.

• Home daycares generally welcome fewer children and thus may be a lot quieter than daycare centres. In contrast, openings may be slow to become available, and it can be difficult to ensure a spot for a second or third child from the same family.

• At a home daycare, the children are usually a variety of ages. This is an effective environment for stimulating young children and encouraging older ones to become more responsible. However, it can be difficult to offer age-appropriate activities for all the children at the same time. In a daycare where all the children in a group are the same age, the activities are more likely to be suited to their developmental stage.

On the plus side, licensed daycare centres and approved home daycares meet certain basic standards for hygiene, health, safety and nutrition. Moreover, at daycare centres, the educators are specially trained to work with young children.

• However, childcare expenses can be very high and the hours don’t always align with a family’s needs. It can also be difficult at times to secure a place when you need it the most.

Daycare isn’t mandatory in Canada, but if you consider all the pros and cons, you may find that it offers a lot of benefits that make it worthwhile.