Parents, Are You Getting Your Money’s Worth at Your Childcare Center?

Abstract

Historically, mothers were the primary caregiver and were expected to stay at home to care for their child. In today’s society, there is an increasing trend of dual-earner families where both individuals contribute to the household income. This created a demand for childcare services such as preschools, childcare centers, and family daycare homes. Due to the high demand, a majority of parents had difficulty obtaining childcare services and it brought into question whether parents are still able to fully assess each available childcare centers’ quality and cost, or if they are forced to select any center with available space. Additionally, considering its high demand, it’s uncertain whether centers are still providing high quality care at their price points. This study investigated if the cost of childcare at licensed childcare facilities in cities and districts under the jurisdiction of Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) align with their structural qualities of care.