Abstract
Childcare programs enable newcomers’ adaptation and integration to life in the host country by allowing them to access employment and educational opportunities while building new social networks. Newcomer children’s participation in quality childcare programs also fulfills their right to education and care while enhancing their development, learning, and future success in school. In a context where affordable, subsidized childcare options are limited, newcomers are particularly disadvantaged in their access to formal childcare programs due to linguistic, cultural, and administrative barriers. Reporting on part of a larger convergent mixed-methods study focused on the post-migration barriers to integration experienced by newcomers to Canada in a smaller urban center, this article explores newcomer families’ preferences and access to childcare. Quantitative survey data were generated from a survey of 305 newcomers who had lived in Canada for less than five years (n = 305), 153 of whom had children (n = 153). Qualitative data were concurrently collected from 96 (n = 96) newcomers during 13 focus groups. The findings indicated that 55.2% did not have childcare that was accessible by transportation, 47% did not have subsidized care, and 61.3% did not believe their childcare program was sensitive to their language and culture despite their distinct preferences for these characteristics. Without access to childcare, they reported challenges accessing employment, language learning courses, and social opportunities and experienced feelings of stress and isolation. These findings have negative implications in terms of newcomer families’ full and meaningful participation in their new community and suggest the need for culturally and linguistic responsive care options.