The Survey on Before and After School Care in Canada focuses on child care in Canada for children aged 4 to 12 years who are attending school. For example, the survey will ask about the different types of before and after school care arrangements used by families, the difficulties some families may face when looking for care, as well as reasons for not using before and after school care. The survey will also look at the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on before and after school care.
Your information may also be used by Statistics Canada for other statistical and research purposes. In addition, information from partially completed or unsaved questionnaires may be retained and used.
Collection period:
From May 31 to June 30, 2022
Collection methods:
Electronic questionnaire with telephone follow-up for non-response
Survey participation:
Voluntary
Confidentiality
Data are collected under the authority of the Statistics Act, Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, Chapter S-19.
Data sharing agreements and record linkage
Record linkage
To enhance the data from this survey and reduce response burden, Statistics Canada may combine the information you provide with data from other surveys or administrative sources.
Topics covered in the survey
The survey asks questions about
- child care arrangements
- reasons for using as well as not using child care
- difficulties in finding child care.
Published data
Statistics Canada publishes the results of its surveys in many formats. To find all the documents related to this survey, follow the links below and type the name of the survey in the search engine located at the left of your screen to filter the results.
Data: You will find tables, profiles of a community or region, thematic maps, public use microdata files, and data visualization tools.
Analysis: You will have direct access to Stats in brief (e.g., releases from The Daily, fact sheets), articles and reports, and journals and periodicals.
Survey-specific questions
- What is the Survey on Before and After School Care in Canada?
- Why is this survey being conducted?
- How does this survey benefit Canadians?
- Can this information be obtained from other surveys?
- Who is conducting and funding this survey?
- When will the survey take place?
- When will the results be released?
- How will the survey data be made available?
- Do I have to take part in this survey?
- Who should complete this survey?
- How will you safeguard the confidentiality of my information?
What is the Survey on Before and After School Care in Canada?
The Survey on Before and After School Care in Canada (SBASCC) collects information from families with children aged 4 to 12 years who are attending school. The survey focuses on different types of before and after school child care arrangements, the difficulties some families may face when looking for child care, as well as reasons for not using child care. The survey will also look at the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on before and after school care. The survey's definition of "child care" does not include occasional babysitting or care by a parent/guardian.
Questions include the number of hours or days spent in before or after school child care per week, costs and subsidies, whether the child care facility is licensed, and reasons for any difficulties in obtaining before and after school child care.
Why is this survey being conducted?
Information from this survey will provide a current snapshot of the use of before and after school child care in Canada, and can be used to:
- understand why families choose to use or not use different types of before and after school child care arrangements
- guide research for improving before and after school programs for children
- create policies aimed at improving the accessibility and affordability of high-quality child care programs
The survey results can help governments better assess various policies and programs so that child care and learning options are aligned with children's needs.
How does this survey benefit Canadians?
Results from this survey will be used to inform research, policies and programs aimed at improving the accessibility and affordability of high-quality child care in Canada.
Can this information be obtained from other surveys?
This survey is being conducted to fill the need for information on child care usage that is not available from other sources.
Although some of the questions in this survey are similar to those in other surveys, the Survey on Before and After School Care in Canada is asking for information specifically about before and after school care arrangements from families with children aged 4 to 12 years. The intention of the survey is to better understand the challenges families face when looking for before and after school child care arrangements.
Who is conducting and funding this survey?
The Survey on Before and After School Care in Canada is conducted by Statistics Canada and funded by Employment and Social Development Canada.
When will the survey take place?
Survey collection will take place from May 31 to June 30, 2022.
When will the results be released?
Survey results should be released in fall 2022.
How will the survey data be made available?
The information collected in this survey will be aggregated and made available to researchers and the general public in summary formats, such as graphs, charts and statistical tables. Many of these resources will be available on Statistics Canada's website.
In addition, analytical files will be stored in research data centres (RDCs) located on university campuses and staffed by Statistics Canada employees.
Do I have to take part in this survey?
No. Statistics Canada cannot collect this information without your explicit consent. This is a voluntary survey, intended to capture the experiences of a representative portion of the Canadian population. However, full participation is very important as it will help to ensure the survey results are representative of the Canadian population as a whole. Every individual who participates in the survey helps make the results more accurate and meaningful.
Who should complete this survey?
The survey should be completed by a person who is knowledgeable about their child's before and after school child care arrangements.
How will you safeguard the confidentiality of my information?
As with all Statistics Canada surveys, any information provided will remain confidential pursuant to the Statistics Act. Statistics Canada takes the privacy of Canadians very seriously. Published data can never identify you or your household.
To find out more about the measures in place to safeguard the confidentiality of your information, visit Statistics Canada's Trust Centre.