The Experiences and Perceived Differences in Working Conditions among Early Childhood Educators Who Have Worked in both For-Profit and Non-Profit Childcare Centres in the Greater Toronto Area

This study examined early childhood educators’ perceptions of the differences in working conditions between for-profit and non-profit childcare centres and childcare sectors, in the Greater Toronto Area. Four early childhood educators who have worked in both for-profit and non-profit childcare centres were interviewed. This project was guided by Moss’ theory of democratic political practice with the goals of illuminating why early childhood education and care (ECEC) should be a public system and how researchers can ensure that ECEs’ experiences and voices are highlighted especially in early childhood practices and policies affecting them. Two themes emerged from the interviews. The first theme reveals variation between the material conditions in the participants’ working environments across the two sectors; the second theme exposes non-material factors of working in each sector as an ECE. Interviewed ECEs reported that non-profit childcare centres provide higher quality working conditions than forprofit childcare centres.