A universal public service is one that is available to all members of a society, regardless of their income, social status, or any other criteria. Think universal health care or universal K-12 education.

In this way, “universal child care” inherently means all of the following: accessible, affordable, inclusive, and flexible.

When we use the phrase, we also mean:

• It’s high-quality
• It’s diverse
• It’s publicly-anchored
• It includes additional targeted supports
• It prioritizes Indigenous children, families and communities
• It’s a goal

It’s High-Quality

In child care, achieving high quality means ensuring educators and child care staff have fair wages and benefits, healthy working conditions, are educated and qualified, and whose pedagogical approaches align with BC’s Early Learning Framework. It also means safe, high-quality facilities.

It’s Diverse

A high-quality universal child care system cannot be “one-size-fits-all.” 

While there are certain things that must be held to a consistent, high standard across the whole system (e.g. access, inclusion requirements, educator qualifications and compensation, facility health and safety, funding levels, etc.), there are at least two critical ways in which high-quality requires diversity.

1. To align with the Early Learning Framework, the system must have respect for different cultural and social contexts, and make room for local, responsive practices. It must explicitly encourage educators and whole programs to engage with various perspectives, challenge traditional developmental theories, and adopt pedagogical approaches that are relevant to the diverse communities and cultural identities of the children they serve.
   
   
2. As discussed in more detail below, a high-quality universal child care system prioritizes support for Indigenous-led programs and services that reflect Indigenous rights and values (see, for example, the “Elements of Quality Child Care” published by the BC Aboriginal Child Care Society).
   

It’s Publicly Anchored

Universal services tend to be publicly-anchored, meaning while there may be private organizations involved (both non-profit and for-profit), the system itself is grounded in public funding, public planning and – often – significant public delivery, so that the goals of a universal system can be more consistently achieved. 

This is why in Canada – with its commitment to universal health care and K-12 education – the vast majority of hospitals and schools are publicly-planned and operated. 

When we call for “universal” child care we therefore are calling for a child care system that has significantly more public funding, public planning and public delivery:

• With support for non-profit expansion, but not relying on it. 
• With integration of existing for-profit child care, but not expanding it.

It Includes Additional Targeted Supports

Consistent with the concept of “proportionate universality,” we’re calling for the kind of universal child care that has – layered on top of a base system – additional targeted supports for those with greater need. For example, a universal $10aDay system that guarantees affordability for most families, and with the lowest-income families targeted for further support through e.g. BC’s Affordable Child Care Benefit; with inclusivity ensured through targeted inclusion supports, etc.

It Prioritizes Indigenous Children, Families and Communities

We understand that the word "universal" is particularly problematic from the perspective of Indigenous peoples if it implies a one-size-fits-all approach that does any of the following: imposes western values, undermines Indigenous rights and autonomy, displaces traditional practices, underfunds Indigenous programs, or altogether operates as another contemporary example of cultural assimilation and colonialism.

When we call for a universal child care system, we therefore mean one that prioritizes early learning and child care as set out in/guided by:

• The Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework and associated implementation and action plans;
  
• Item 4.19 in BC’s Declaration Act Action Plan, which commits the government to, “as part of a commitment to an inclusive, universal childcare system [emphasis added], work in collaboration with B.C. First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples to implement a distinctions-based approach to support and move forward jurisdiction over child care for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples who want and need it in B.C.”; and
  
• The first tripartite memorandum of understanding signed on early learning and child care for First Nations.

It's A Goal

Across large and diverse societies, achieving and maintaining high-quality universal services is hard. 

For example, while Canada and its provinces and territories have set legislated goals for universal health care and universal K-12 education, there are plenty of instances where we fall short of that goal or where its achievement is somehow compromised. 

Think of emergency room closures or long health care wait times, children being bussed far from home to attend school, or too-little support for children with different or complex needs. Or think of Quebec, which is often held up as an example of a place committed to universal child care, but where that goal has not yet been fully realized.

These instances remind us that when we talk about high quality universal child care, health care or K-12, we really are talking about a goal towards which we must constantly strive.