Vancouver Preschool Survey Report

Preschool Programs are an important part of early learning and child care services, and yet, little is known about the families who use them, how preschool fits into their overall use of early childhood programs, or whether or not preschool is the preferred early childhood option for families.

In spring 2019, City of Vancouver staff approached Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre (WCCRC) about the possibility of them undertaking a survey of parents with a child enrolled in a Vancouver
preschool. Westcoast contracted with Barry Forer and Jane Beach, both child care researchers, to conduct the survey, analyze the results and prepare this summary of findings.

The survey was undertaken to better understand the various reasons parents choose preschool care, what other arrangements (if any) they use while they work or study, how well their early care and learning choices meet their needs, and to help determine any unmet demand for full time child care among parents using preschool as part of a patchwork of child care arrangements due to lack of availability or high cost.

The specific objectives of the survey were to identify the:
• Total number of children participating in preschool spaces
• Reasons why parents choose to enroll their children in preschool, and how they use it.

The findings are intended to provide useful information for the City to use in future planning, as the Government of British Columbia works to increase the supply and affordability of licensed early childhood services.