So… my dad is a leading expert on the economics of childcare… and my mum is a leading policy consultant on childcare… and because of that I’ve been kind of steeped in all of these arguments my entire life, even though I don’t have kids of my own.
Basically, their research shows that tax credits are pretty much the most inequitable way of funding childcare. Federal tax credits alongside state or local subsidies sounds to me like a complete disaster of a ‘child care plan’ with the worst of both worlds.
Quality, non-profit, universal childcare is the ideal we should be aiming for as a society because good early childhood education improves the entire economy. But it’s not definitely not going to happen with Trump, and not likely even with Trudeau here in Canada.
My dad wrote a slightly more accessible (with no math!) booklet about why universal childcare programs are the best solution and why arguments against them don’t really stack up. It’s a bit dated and aimed towards Canadians but is applicable generally. It’s available here: http://www.childcarepolicy.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/FactandFantasy.pdf
"The argument that “it costs too much” exploits the fear that many Canadians have about the size of the public sector and the potential for a return to deficit spending. But although good child care is expensive, it will strengthen the Canadian economy rather than weaken it. Our arguments in this chapter can be summarized as follows: * Spending on child care is an investment rather than a consumption expenditure. The test of any investment is whether the rate of return justifies the expense. * Good child care generates two types of returns. The first is the productivity of the parents freed to enter the labour force. The second is the increase in future productivity of children who receive early educational experiences. * When benefits and costs are both accounted for, public expenditures on good child care generate at least a 2-for-1 return, producing $2 in benefits for every $1 in new spending. * Competitiveness is enhanced rather than compromised because good child care makes Canada a better place for companies and their executives to locate."
