One of the challenges with measuring how many use it is that there is a shortage. The second question then becomes what are parents' preferences. I frankly think that's a more important issue. Where do parents want to have their children cared for? Is it at home? Is it in a formal day care? Is it with family, friends, or neighbours? I think that's the most important one.
When you start looking at those surveys, parents' first choice is to take care of the child at home. They can't always do that for economic reasons. I've actually talked with parents who have said, “You know what? I have three kids under the age of five, and that's $3,600 a year. With the difference between what I make and what I pay in child care--because I have to go to work--versus what you're providing me, it's not worth it for me to work any more. I now can stay home and raise my kids myself. Thank you.”
Others are saying, “I wanted to go back to work. I wanted to put my kids into child care, but I couldn't afford it. This is going to make it possible for me to go back to work, or to go back to school, even, on a part-time basis.”
What we're trying to do is provide parents with choices. In terms of how many are actually doing it, the real question is how many would like to.