Childcare Markets: Can They Deliver an Equitable Service?

The viability, quality, and sustainability of early childhood education and services is a lively issue in many countries, especially as fair access to quality programs is beset by increasing gaps in family income. Drawing on research from eight countries where child care is deployed via open markets—including the United States and Canada—the editors present comparisons of child-care services and the regulatory processes that guide them across a wide political and economic spectrum. Including contributions from economists, policy specialists, and educators, this book addresses serious questions as to what constraints need to be in place if child-care providers are to deliver equitable service.