Several people posting in this thread seem to want to discus the actual social issues behind childcare costs and quality so to add some information those individuals may find interesting I suggest those truly interested in the issue look at the child care model and philosophy created in Reggio Emilia Italy. This approach is a major aspect of the current research in child development and early education in the world and is very thought provoking. This model does not suggest that you can take what one country has done and cut and paste it into another, but they inspire us to assess our own perspective and look for solutions to quality issues, education, and children in geneneral.