Child care for young children with disabilities

Area of Science:

• Child Development
• Public Health Policy
• Disability Studies

Background:

• Over half of Canadian children (56%) use non-parental child care.
• Limited data exists on child care use among children with disabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• Examine child care participation among young children (0-5 years) with disabilities in Canada.
• Investigate challenges faced by these children and their families in accessing child care.
• Analyze differences based on disability type.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from Statistics Canada's 2023 Survey on Early Learning and Child Care Arrangements.
• Analyzed 1,189 children aged 0-5 years with disabilities.
• Employed logistic regression to identify factors influencing child care arrangements and difficulties.

Main Results:

• 45% of children with disabilities used formal child care; 17% used informal care; 38% did not use non-parental care.
• Nearly half of parents reported difficulty finding child care, especially for children with emotional conditions.
• Approximately 10% of parents reported their child was denied child care due to their condition.

Conclusions:

• Findings underscore significant barriers to child care access for children with disabilities.
• Highlights the need for inclusive policies and resources within Canada's early learning and child care system.
• Emphasizes the importance of addressing specific needs, such as those related to emotional conditions.