Home Daycare Regulations

It's sad that in Canada that there is a shortage for licensed daycare. Anyone that wants to can run a private unlicensed daycare. There is only one rule the unlicensed home daycare's have to follow, which is how many children they are allowed to look after. So many caregivers ignore this rule. There are private daycare's throughout the country, with some having up to 30 children being looked after by one adult. How can one person look after so many children? In my opinion it's impossible.

• How many children do you look after at one time, and what are their ages?
• What is your background as far as childcare goes?
• Do you have first aide knowledge or training?
• Would you be willing to go through a criminal background check?
• Would I be able to get three references from people that have children in your care or from past parents that have used your services?

It's always a good idea to see where your child will be playing, sleeping, and eating.

• Is the home safe, clean, large enough to care for children?
• Is there a pool either inside or in the backyard?
• Is there a backyard; is it safe, and is it fenced?
• Is there a place where children nap?
• Does anyone in the home of the daycare provider smoke?
• Does the care provider have pets?
• Look at the toys and make sure that they are safe, clean and well maintained.

You may want to stipulate that if your child is to be taken off of the premises of the daycare home you'd like to be informed at least one day beforehand. If your child is going to be transported in a vehicle you'll need to know so that you can leave the provider with a car seat if necessary.

Should your child have food allergies the daycare provider should be informed of this.

All emergency numbers should be left with the daycare provider.

Always be clear about the cost that is involved, and when payment is to be made.

Ask the provider to run through a typical day with you such as:

• What activities do you provide?
• Do you have set lunch and snack times?
• Do the children have a set rest or nap time?
• If I'm going to be late and unable to pick up my child at a certain time will this be a problem?
• If you are ill do you have someone else to step in for you and care for my child?

From January of 2010 to December of 2012 there were a total of 757 complaints made in the province of Ontario regarding the number of children that were being cared for in private home daycare's.

When my boys were small and I was working away from the home, I used private daycare myself. I knew the lady and her daughter quite well before taking my children to her. I must admit that she had more than her legal limit but at the same time there were always enough adults with her that were quite capable of helping her out. My boys loved to go to Bonnie's. I can remember so many days that I would go to pick them up and it would be a fight to get them out of there because they were having so much fun. I always felt safe leaving my boys in her care.

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