at federal level and in some provinces a greater emphasis has been put on the expansion of childcare services since the mid s to accompany the rapid increase in mothers labour force participation as well as to enhance the development of disadvantaged children and tackle poverty lefebvre and merrigan services for children are provided through fullday ecec centres including kindergartens partday preschools homefamily childcare schoolage and family resources programs of which the mix varies across provinces and is determined at the local level based on a planning process taking into account community needs and priorities services that seamlessly provide care and learning for children are also offered across canada with parenting support resources integrated into service provision