Changes to the DNA

The Ministry of Education has made it clear that they plan to decrease the incentives for independent home child care providers to work outside the licensed sector. What exactly does this mean? They have yet to tell us.

To read the changes various organizations have suggested to the Ministry go to: http://www.ottawakids.ca/en/childcar...rio_p3946.html

Would you like to have a say? Please e-mail Doreen@ccprn.com for more information and for sample letters. Help us to engage the Ministry in a conversation so that parents continue to have the option of high quality independent daycare, and so that independent professional caregivers continue to have the option of a feasible career in home child care.

Hope to hear from you soon - the time to write letters is now.

Doreen@ccprn.com

I have read this document extensively. I also have a firm understanding of what constitutes the different models of care. And, having said that I don't see where there are big, if any changes to Informal Child Care. Informal Child Care is what is offered by most of the members here and most dcproviders I know. While reading the document I noticed that the only changes the government cites with respect to Informal Child Care is perhaps creating a registry to offer resources on health and safety. No where does the document with the proposed changes cite that Informal Child Care will change in any respect.

So? That said, what am I missing?

While reading that PDF file put out by the government of Ontario about their plans for regulation I noticed the following:

Quote:

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Improving Safeguards in the Informal Child Care Sector
We recognize that many parents choose informal child care arrangements with
family members such as grandparents. These arrangements are personal in
nature and the government has no intention of regulating them.
Where programs are delivered in the informal sector, we seek feedback about
how to assist unregulated home-based caregivers to deliver quality programs and
increase the safety of children. For example, the creation of a registry could help
the government to communicate with caregivers in the informal/unregulated
sector and to provide them with information about program quality, health and safety.

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Now, if you go to the Ministry of Education website they explain Informal Child Care as such:

Quote:

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Informal Care:
Parents may choose informal child care arrangements for their children. In Ontario, regardless of the number of adults providing care at the location, caregivers may look after five or fewer children under 10 years of age without a day nursery licence. Informal care arrangements are made between the parents and the caregiver. The Ontario government does not regulate these caregivers. This means the person caring for your child does not have to meet provincial health, safety and caregiver training standards.

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So, if I put two and two together that tells me that the Ministry does not propose to change anything with regard to Informal Childcare in Ontario (meaning, WE, the unlicensed, private home daycare providers) with the exception of maybe having a registry. And it doesn't even say the registry will be mandatory.

Anyone else reading this in the same manner?

Judy, we can always count on you to do the research. Frankly, I'm prone to sticking my head in the sand and hoping that it all blows over - smacks self on wrist! What you have pointed out in your post makes perfect sense and I think you found the loophole that the government didn't spot. Shhhhh, don't tell them!

Yes, that is my take as well. It is unfortunate though that there are no health, safety and caregiver standards. I joined a local registry when I first started 7 years ago. They would give out my information to searching daycare parents only if my daycare passed certain criteria. My hubby and I had to have police checks, I had to have first aid and CPR (infant and toddler), my family was checked out through CSA, I had a health and safety inspection and a visit from a member of the fire department to make sure my home was up to code.
I was thrilled to comply as I wanted to feel confident I was providing a safe and healthy daycare for my clients who were equally grateful that they could look at all my documentation and know I was serious about my business and not just someone who wants to "babysit" kids. I wish I was required to go through a yearly mini version of these inspections just to ensure my future clients that my daycare still follows these guidelines instead of showing them 7 year old inspection forms.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Momof4

Judy, we can always count on you to do the research. Frankly, I'm prone to sticking my head in the sand and hoping that it all blows over - smacks self on wrist! What you have pointed out in your post makes perfect sense and I think you found the loophole that the government didn't spot. Shhhhh, don't tell them!

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I'm not really worried about it one way or another. If we are forced to lower our numbers then so be it. I'll just charge more per child. It's no different than how, in the last three years home daycares have all seemed to raise their rates about $3-5. I think this is due to centres raising their fees due to full-day learning and losing their biggest income generators - the three to five year olds who require less staff to child ratios, hence, more money to the centre.

The government is seriously screwing things up. They think they are making things better but in reality there are four things that have proven, time and time again, throughout the history of man:

1. Laws do not make those who are doing bad or underhanded things suddenly start towing the line,
2. Registered, in any business, does not equate quality
3. Supply and Demand dictate prices
4. Lower numbers increase demand and that equals higher prices per service

It's really a simple concept that we all know. Parents think they are getting "free" daycare in the full-day learning environment. But that all equals out in dollars and sense anyway because they pay more now for care for their child before they start school. If you work in the b/a school fees they still need to pay for their four year old, then over the course of that child's first 6 years of life they really save nothing.

And then, of course, we all know the other misnomer - that registered or licensed does not mean better or safer. Statistically there is NO difference in child mortality rates between home-based licensed or unlicensed care. And, in fact, kids are twice as likely to die in the care of their parents or grandparents than ANY daycare setting.

I think parents are wooed by this socialist state we are creating. Free, free, free, for everyone with so many government strongholds that providers are forced to either charge more and the parents have to lump it or providers will quit. Either way the math is the same - fewer providers, means higher fees.

I'll roll with the punches and come out better for it on the end. I always do.