Nearly 9 out of 10 people believe the provincial government should do more to support families in vulnerable situations, according to a survey of more than 2,500 Quebecers conducted in August.

The new survey by the Observatoire des tout-petits (OTP) -- a project that aims to inform decision-making in early childhood -- reveals that a majority of respondents (87 per cent) believe the government should invest more in the development of children aged 0 to 5.

Three priorities for investment emerged from the Léger survey: access to affordable housing for families, prevention of child abuse, and improved access to health and social service specialists.

According to Fannie Dagenais, director of the OTP, the results show that toddlers are a "priority" for Quebecers, making it "especially important" to support families in vulnerable situations.

"We are talking about families with incomes under $40,000 per year. The families who were less affluent were the hardest hit, and most of them have not yet recovered from the socio-economic consequences of the pandemic," she said.

She adds that in addition to low-income households, families with children with special needs or disabilities are also more likely to be in a precarious situation.

HOUSING IS A CRUCIAL FACTOR

Dagenais said that housing issues can have a major impact on young children, with the first five years of life being a "key period" in their development.

"At this age, they are like sponges; they are sensitive to everything that happens around them and very dependent on affection, attention and food," she explained.

Inadequate housing is thus associated with a greater risk of delayed physical, emotional, cognitive, language and social development in toddlers. Similarly, a child living in unaffordable housing tends to be underweight, as parents are more likely to cut back on basic needs such as food.

These housing issues are also linked to a higher risk of abuse, particularly because of the "major stress" they generate in parents.

"By acting upstream of the problem, for example by supporting them with financial assistance, affordable housing or early childhood education services, we reduce the pressure and the risk of abuse within families," said Dagenais.

The director also says that Quebec has "every interest in acting as early as possible," since most "cost-effective" interventions for young children are done before the age of 3.

STRONG ECONOMIC IMPACTS

In addition to promoting the development of young children, these government investments would have major economic benefits for society as a whole.

According to Pierre Fortin, a professor of economics at UQAM, the introduction of quality childcare services has contributed significantly to the entry of women into the labour market.

"The biggest economic impact was work-family balance. Mothers who came to the end of their parental leave had access to affordable child care and could return to work as soon as their leave ended," says Fortin.

This change began in 1997 with the introduction of the family policy of then, education and family minister Pauline Marois, which provided more generous parental leave, more equitable family allowances and the creation of a network of Centres de la petite enfance (CPE).

Today, the proportion of women aged 20-44 in Quebec who are in the labour force is 88 per cent, the economist maintains, which represents "the highest participation rate in the world," on a par with Sweden.

Government investment in quality social services is therefore essential to ensure the well-being of children and their parents, especially over the long term.

"Financially, investment in early childhood education has the highest rate of return of all. That doesn't mean you shouldn't put money into elementary and high school, but investing in accessible, affordable child care is much more cost-effective," Fortin concluded.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published n French on Nov. 17, 2022, with the financial support of the Meta and Canadian Press News Grants.