Building on the first phase of the Construction and Child Care Research Initiative, Medow Consulting worked with the LiUNA Local 506 Training Centre to deliver Phase II of this work, with the financial support of Ontario's Skills Development Fund.
In Phase I, we found that the lack of access to quality child care aligned with the needs of workers in the building trades is holding back recruitment and retention. Early start times, changing job sites and non-standard schedules do not fit a child care system largely designed around a typical 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. workday.
In Phase II, we conducted a child care needs assessment, including a survey of more than 450 Local 506 members, to better understand the child care challenges members face and identify practical solutions.
The project resulted in the final report, Laying the Foundation for Child Care for Workers in the Skilled Trades: Identifying Needs, Creating Solutions. The report shares findings from the needs assessment and options to meet the needs of the workforce. It also identifies opportunities for system-level change, including:
Targeted funding for non-standard hours care to cover the extra costs of extended hours.
Municipal planning that accounts for the needs of non-standard hours workers, in collaboration with local industry, labour organizations and community child care partners.
Partnerships between child care providers, labour and industries facing workforce shortages.
Phase II of the Construction and Child Care Research Initiative was delivered with the support of child care expert and consultant Jane Beach.