Opening daycare should I start with unlicensed?

[Sun28]

Hi, I am opening a daycare this year, sometime between Augest and September , I don't know if I should go unlicensed. For starting out, or just get licenced and go all the way? Any advice?

Thank you,:)

[mickyc]

I was told by someone who was licenced and subsidized that if she could go back she would have never taken that route and strongly recommended staying private.

[giraffe]

If you are in BC then I'd recommend you go licensed because you can take a lot more children.

[5 Little Monkeys]

It will depend on your province and the rules. I'm not sure but I thought licensed in BC allows quite a bit more children than private.

Here in MB, I am choosing to stay private as that best suits me and my needs.

[AcornsFalling]

In BC, unlicensed can have 2 plus your own children. I believe licensed can have 5 plus your own.

In BC the licensing regulations are extremely rigorous, for good reason. I would suggest starting out unlicensed, decide if you want to take it further, and then go for licensing.

Most houses would not meet the licensing requirements and would need at least some minor renovation work. I needed to do a lot of safety upgrades to be a registered unlicensed child care and I already considered my house child-proof due to my own two little ones. So you need to consider if you want to put in a bit of money up front to do changes to meet the licensing regulations.

[Sun28]

Thank you very much everyone! :) your advice helps