by Charlie Coffey

"With the second highest rate of child poverty in the industrialized world and two recent UN citations for our lack of action on children's early learning and care, Canada's reputation for social justice could become part of our history all too soon" (The Niagara Summit on Human Development, March 11, 2004). Talk about compelling words that demand equally compelling action.

Although there's no quick fix for Canada, I'm convinced that business – both large and small – has a vital role to play in what I refer to as the collaborative solution on the path to prosperity. Strong, diverse, public sector, community and business leadership needs to be at the same table when it comes to policy direction and issues about early learning and child care. And make no mistake about it – child care is part of the early learning equation. It's all about alignment, synergy and shared global knowledge – a more integrated national approach to strategy, communications, programming and measurement, with regional fine-tuning. And remember, history has proven time and time again that shifts or changes in public policy don't usually take off until the business community rallies behind them.

It's clear that business has a vested interest in supporting the development of sound public policy, as business has a stake in early learning and child care outcomes, i.e., education, employment, health, safety and community engagement. Show me a leading CEO who doesn't believe that cultivating, attracting and retaining top talent is a strategic priority. Show me a leading CEO who doesn't get the connection between corporate responsibility and building business, not to mention employee commitment. Show me a leading CEO who doesn't equate the value of business, government and community partnerships with advancing the economic and social justice agenda. I'd like to chat with a leading CEO who doesn't understand that improving shareholder value tomorrow has everything to do with investing in children and families today. Generating a high level of business interest can help make the difference.

The bottom line is that business leaders need to step up to the plate. And they need to hear and discuss research findings – evidence. The contribution of early learning and child care to the creation and nurturing of human capital cannot be ignored. Here's some research at work that shows why investing in children is good economics and good business:

• "For every $1 spent on child care, there is a $2 economic benefit. The benefit comes back through increased tax revenues, and decreased social, education and health costs."¹

• "A child's brain development in the first six years of life sets the foundation for lifelong learning, behaviour and health."²

• "If the first few years of life include support for growth in cognition, language, motor skills, adaptive skills and social-emotional functioning, the child is more likely to succeed in school and later contribute to society."³

• High-quality early childhood education produces "long-term positive outcomes and cost-savings that include improved school performance, reduced special education placement, lower school dropout rates, and increased lifelong earning potential. Employers increasingly find that the availability of good early childhood programs is critical to the recruitment and retention of parent employees."⁴

• "It's estimated that work-life conflicts cost Canadian organizations roughly $2.7 billion in lost time due to work absences."⁵

Research into the developing brain suggests that children get off to the best start by being taught in small groups at an early age, boosting their collaborative skills, while older children benefit from gradually being weaned off intensive teacher-led tuition and encouraged to be the kind of autonomous and inventive thinkers and learners that employers in the 21st Century are crying out for.⁶ More research, including the report, "Never too early to invest in children: Early childhood education and care matters to business!" can be found on the Voices for Children website (www.voicesforchildren.ca). Important work revolving around early learning and child care is being done in Canada, as well as the United States, Italy, Great Britain and Australia, to name a few. In terms of child care, the recently published Child Care Coalition of Manitoba report, Time for Action: An Economic and Social Analysis of Child Care in Winnipeg (www.childcaremanitoba.ca), is an excellent source of timely information and analysis. Among other things, it gets the economics connection.

Facts, figures, and return on investment are the kind of language that business understands. And the message is simple: We all bear a burden for failing to provide the "right start" to our children. We need more business leaders to view early learning and child care as an economic issue, not just an education or social issue. It's an important economic issue because early learning and care enables parents to work, learn and train while helping to prepare children for a brighter future. It's a wise investment in 2004 to ensure a competitive workforce and economy in 2014. A good example of the private sector getting down to business is "PNC Grow Up Great," the $100 million investment in early childhood education by The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. in Pittsburgh (www.pncgrowupgreat.com/grow_up_great.html). When considering investments in learning and education for children, business can also look to the inspired blending of research, practice and innovation at the Institute of Child Study in Toronto – a working model with broader application, that leads the way when it comes to enhancing children's thinking and building community connections.

We know that early learning and care has earned its place on the Canadian political landscape. The time is now to push the envelope on an agenda that must move forward (with the support of all three levels of government), which means making early learning and care a national and universal priority, targeting the children most in need and putting more money directly into high-quality child care. Canada requires a coordinated approach to ensure program quality and to serve more children/families, including a focus on Aboriginal children.

Business has a key role to play in helping to nudge government action on early learning and child care issues – in helping to influence public policy. Business could also support governments in developing national/regional programs to replace the existing "patchwork" of projects and initiatives. "Most parents want an early learning experience for their children and a majority need non-parental care to allow them to work or study. Current services aren't organized to meet the needs of either parent or child…as a first step, we propose blending four and five year old programming – kindergarten, child care and parenting supports – into a single program."⁷

Creating innovative strategies for early learning and child care contributes to Canada's path to prosperity. As such, why wouldn't innovative business leaders consider workplaces that employ on-site/near-site child care centres, child care subsidies, after-school programs, parental networks, information and referral services, job sharing, flexible hours, or extended parental leave/family care leaves? Why wouldn't innovative business leaders encourage investments in targeted children's initiatives and representation on children's advocacy boards? And why wouldn't innovative business leaders support partnerships with governments and communities – and the sharing of best practices? These are all elements of a sound business strategy that develops human capital, promotes a healthier workplace and sustains a competitive advantage. It's long overdue for the business leadership voice to be heard in greater numbers. Perhaps we'll see business well represented at the Child Care for a Change: Shaping the 21st Century conference in Winnipeg, as this event will influence public policy about early learning and child care and help set the agenda for the next decade.

"In today's world, where education and skill levels determine future earnings, the economic and social costs to individuals, communities, and the nation of not taking action on early childhood education are far too great to ignore, especially when the benefits far outweigh the costs."⁸ As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child…so when igniting the early learning and child care flame with collaborative solutions and action, by all means count business in!

References

1 Cleveland, Gordon and Krashinsky, Michael. The Benefits and Costs of Good Child Care, 1998.

2 McCain, M. and J. F. Mustard. The Early Years Study: Reversing the Real Brain, 1998.

3 Erickson, Martha Farrell and Kurz-Riemer, Karen. Infants, Toddlers and Families: A Framework for Support and Intervention. New York: The Guilford Press, 1999.

4 The Business Roundtable/Corporate Voices for Working Families Joint Statement. Early Childhood Education - A Call to Action from the Business Community, May 7, 2003.

5 Johnson, Karen; Lero, Donna and Rooney, Jennifer. Work-Life Compendium 2001: 150 Canadian Statistics on Work, Family & Well-Being. Human Resources Development Canada Women's Bureau and University of Guelph Centre for Families, Work and Well-Being.

6 Abbott, John and Ryan, Terry. The Unfinished Revolution: Learning, Human Behavior, Community and Political Paradox, 2001.

7 Cooke, Michael; Keating, Daniel and McColm, Marjorie. Early Learning and Care in the City: A New Blueprint for Ontario. The Centre of Early Childhood Development, George Brown College, Atkinson Centre for Society and Child Development; Ontario Institute of Studies in Education/University of Toronto, 2004.

8 The Business Roundtable/Corporate Voices for Working Families Joint Statement.

UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families and Communities (United States), Sure Start (United Kingdom), Centre for Community Child Health (Australia): The International Meeting on Developing Comprehensive Community-Based Early Childhood Systems, December 2003 (www.healthychild.ucla.edu/ICECS/Default.asp)

Charlie Coffey is Executive Vice President, Government & Community Affairs, RBC Financial Group, Toronto and Co-Chair, Commission on Early Learning and Child Care for the City of Toronto. Contact: charles.coffey@rbc.com

Canadian Council on Social Development, 190 O'Connor Street, Suite 100, Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 2R3