Child care participation among off-reserve First Nations, Métis and Inuit children aged 1 to 5 - Exploring parental satisfaction and cultural responsiveness across child care settings

Oct 15, 2026

Statistics Canada research examines child care participation for off-reserve First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children aged 1 to 5, and evaluates parental satisfaction alongside cultural responsiveness across child care settings. Using 2022 Indigenous Peoples Survey results, the study reports participation rates, regional variation, and the extent of Indigenous-specific care. Findings also describe parent assessments of provider sharing of Indigenous values, learning opportunities, language use in care, and stated preferences and barriers such as costs and availability.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages24

Reading Time1 h 0 min

AccessFree to download

Key findings

Child care participation rates by group

Regional variations in participation

Type of care and Indigenous-specific arrangements

Parent satisfaction and cultural responsiveness

Language use in child care

Preferences for alternate care and main barriers

Catalogue no. 41-20-0002 ISBN 978-0-660-77417-6 Child care participation among off-reserve First Nations, Métis and Inuit children aged 1 to 5: Exploring parental satisfaction and cultural responsiveness across child care settings by Amanda Bleakney and Tara Hahmann Release date: January 20, 2026 How to obtain more information For information about this product or the wide range of services and data available from Statistics Canada, visit our website, [www.statcan.gc.ca](www.statcan.gc.ca). You can also contact us by Email at infostats@statcan.gc.ca Telephone, from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. , at the following numbers: • Statistical Information Service 1-800-263-1136 • National telecommunications device for the hearing impaired 1-800-363-7629 • Fax line 1-514-283-9350 Standards of service to the public Statistics Canada is committed to serving its clients in a prompt, reliable and courteous manner. To this end, the Agency has developed standards of service which its employees observe in serving its clients. To obtain a copy of these service standards, please contact Statistics Canada toll-free at 1-800-263-1136. The service standards are also published on [www.statcan.gc.ca](www.statcan.gc.ca) under “Contact us” >“Standards of service to the public.” Note of appreciation Canada owes the success of its statistical system to along-standing partnership between Statistics Canada, the citizens of Canada, its businesses, governments and other institutions. Accurate and timely statistical information could not be produced without their continued co-operation and goodwill. Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada © His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2026 Use of this publication is governed by the Statistics Canada Open Licence Agreement. An HTML version is also available. Cette publication est aussi disponible en français. Acknowledgements This research was supported by funds from the Early Learning and Child Care Secretariat at Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). The authors wish to thank ESDC for their knowledge, guidance and feedback throughout the development of this work. Child care participation among off-reserve First Nations, Métisand Inuit children aged 1 to 5: Exploring parental satisfaction and cultural responsiveness across child care settings by Amanda Bleakney and Tara Hahmann (Centre for Indigenous Statistics and Partnerships) Key findings • According to the 2022 Indigenous Peoples Survey, 52,030 off-reserve First Nations, Métis and Inuit children aged 1 to 5 were in child care (across all child care types), while 49,860 were not in child care. Among First Nations children living off reserve, 49.3% were in child care, while respective percentages were 55.9% and 36.2% among Métis and Inuit children. • Regional variations in child care participation emerged: First Nations children in Quebec and the territories were more likely to participate than in other regions. Métis children had higher participation in Quebec, Manitoba and British Columbia than in all other regions except Saskatchewan. For Inuit children, those outside Inuit Nunangat reported nearly twice the share participating in child care than their counterparts living in Inuit Nunangat. • Roughly 6 in 10 off-reserve First Nations and Métis children and 1 in 2 Inuit children who were in child care participated in centre-based child care. • Among those in child care, the share in Indigenous-specific child care was 6.3% for First Nations children living off reserve, 2.3% among Métis children and 16.3% among Inuit children. • Nearly 6 in 10 parents (58.5% E [use with caution]) of Indigenous children in an Indigenous-specific childcare arrangement reported being very satisfied with the way in which their child’s main child care provider shared Indigenous traditional and cultural values and customs. This pr

FAQs

What age group and population does the report focus on?

The report focuses on off-reserve First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children aged 1 to 5, comparing those in child care versus those not in child care.

How does participation vary across regions?

Regional differences are reported, including higher participation for First Nations children in Quebec and the territories, higher Métis participation in several provinces versus other regions, and differences for Inuit children depending on whether they live in Inuit Nunangat.

What do parents report regarding satisfaction and cultural responsiveness?

Among parents in Indigenous-specific arrangements, a large share reports being very satisfied with how providers share Indigenous traditional and cultural values and customs. The report also summarizes parental reports on learning encouragement, provider understanding of Indigenous families’ needs, and language use in child care.

Oct 15, 2026

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