Canadian Child Care Worker Survey (CCCWS)

Detailed information for 2024/2026

Statistics Canada is conducting the Canadian Child Care Worker Survey (CCCWS) to gather information from centre-based child care workers on factors related to the workplace and staff well-being.

• Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s)
• Description
• Data sources and methodology

Description

The Canadian Child Care Worker Survey (CCCWS), sponsored by Employment and Social Development Canada, collects information from centre-based child care workers on factors related to the workplace and staff well-being. The survey collects information on current and recent child care centre workers. The survey aims to better understand how these factors influence the recruitment, retention and recognition of child care workers.

This information will be used to inform research, policies and programs related to the child care workforce. Results will be produced at the National and Provincial levels.

Reference period: 2026 for child care workers working in the sector at the time of collection, 2024-2026 for child care workers not working in the sector at the time of collection.

Subjects

• Child care
• Children and youth

Data sources and methodology

Target population

The target population for this survey includes supervisors, directors, and child care workers who worked directly with children in a centre-based setting in one of the provinces between 2024 and 2026.

Instrument design

The content for the Canadian Child Care Worker Survey electronic questionnaire was drafted in consultation with Statistics Canada's Health Analysis Division, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), as well as several external subject matter experts.

The CCCWS conducted cognitive testing in the form of interviews in both of Canada's official languages and were conducted by Statistics Canada's Questionnaire Design Resource Centre. The goal of the qualitative study was to test the survey content.

Sampling

This is a sample survey with a cross-sectional design.

Frame
The CCCWS frame consisted of all individuals on the 2024 T4 administrative tax file whose employers were identified as child care providers on the Business Register via the NAICS 624410 (Child day-care services). The Business Register is maintained at Statistics Canada and updated with information from the Canada Revenue Agency, with feedback from economic surveys. Survey results and the frame of the Canadian Survey on the Provision of Child Care Services (CSPCCS) 2024 were used to identify childcare settings that were centre-based and in-scope for the CCCWS.

Sampling unit
This is a targeted respondent survey. The sampling unit is an employee of a centre-based childcare setting.

Stratification method
The frame for the CCCWS was stratified by province.

Sampling and sub-sampling
Sufficient sample was allocated to each province so that the survey could produce reliable estimates at the provincial and national level for employees working in a childcare centre at the time of the survey, and at the national level for employees who worked in a childcare centre between 2024 and 2026.

A sample of 50,000 employees was sampled and sent to collection. The selection of a sample unit was done in one stage. First, the list of employees was stratified by province. Then, within each province, the list was sorted by address and a systematic sample of employees was drawn within each province.

Data sources

Data collection for this reference period: February 02, 2026 to current

Responding to this survey is voluntary.

Data are collected directly from survey respondents.

Data will be collected via electronic questionnaire (EQ) with telephone interview follow-up.

To enhance the data from this survey and to reduce the response burden, Statistics Canada will combine information from the Canadian Child Care Worker Survey with information from the Canadian Survey on the Provision of Child Care Services.

View the Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s) .