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well was gradually undergoing restructuring, but again as a social service (Prochner,
2000).
Post war conditions in Canada created the potential for a publicly supported
system. Canada’s slow response put the country behind global counterparts. As the
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reports, the current
state reflects a patchwork of uneconomic, fragmented services, within which a small
child care component exists as a labour market support, often without a focused child
development and education role (2004).
In 1998, The OECD’s Education Committee launched a Thematic Review of Early
Childhood Education and Care Policy. Many of the other countries that participated in
the review, namely Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands,
Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom have been progressing towards publicly
managed, universal early childhood and care services focused on the development of
young children. “In these countries, services are also expected to play a significant role
with respect to social cohesion, the alleviation of the effects of child poverty, improved
child health and screening, better parenting and family engagement in education”
(OECD, 2004, p. 2).
What has emerged in these other countries has produced a specific early
childhood professional profile. The result has been higher training levels, better pay and
conditions for teaching staff, which in turn has led to improved outcomes for children
(OECD, 2004). Canada’s fragmented service is only now being seen as a government
priority but only for liberal-leaning politicians. Researchers in fields from economics to
health promotion who have recognized that early childhood education and care is