Public accountability

Governments must develop and publish annual and multi-year early learning and child care (ELCC) plans, and report publicly on progress. The plans must be updated based on lessons learned and evolving ELCC needs and context.

Effective public accountability is an integral part of a solid ELCC system

A quality child care system built through the significant expenditure of public funds demands effective public accountability. Robust public accountability requires:

Publicly available plans, with specific targets and benchmarks for quality, affordability, inclusion, and accessibility;
Annual public reports comparing actual results to plans, and explaining significant variances;
Clear, comprehensive public reporting standards to ensure accessible, relevant, timely, consistent, comparable data and information, including, but not limited to, data on parent fees, compensation of early childhood educators, rates of coverage, rates of inclusion, access according to household income, race, Indigenous identity, geographic location, and other factors;
A defined role for legislators to receive, review, clarify, and question reports and data, and the opportunity for legislators to hear evidence from government and non-government witnesses;
Meaningful and government-supported citizen engagement in the development of ELCC goals, plans, and monitoring of results;
Audited public financial reports, to add credibility and increase public confidence.