3.5k
Daycare and childcare providers in Winnipeg, Toronto, Vancouver, Ontario etc. in CanadaGarderies à Montréal ou au QuébecFind daycare or childcare providers in the USA
Forum control
+ Reply to Thread
Page 2 of 4 FirstFirst 1 2 3 4 LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 34
  1. #11
    Outgoing
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    AB
    Posts
    425
    Thanked
    103 Times in 59 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by playfelt View Post
    We are going to have to be very careful in this discussion because each province has different regulations about how many children that can be cared for, the age mix and if a license is required. To say unlincensed will mean different things in different provinces. In Ontario for instance there is no such thing as a licensed caregiver. We have licensed daycare centres and we have agencies that are licensed to contract with individual caregivers for services and they do inspections but those caregivers themselves are not licensed. A caregiver in Ontario can care for up to 5 children. Therefore I am not licensed as such but have been a daycare provider for 23 years and would like to think I provide an excellent service to parents. It is not about being licensed that makes the difference. At the same time it is up to the parents that contract with me to monitor the care I am providing and they are in a better place to do that than a supervisor that stops in once a month even if it is unannounced. Just a reminder that for this thread if everyone wouldn't mind saying what province they are in when they post so that there are no hard feelings or misinterpretations. Just because I live in Ontario and can not be licensed means I can be just as good a caregiver as someone that lives in another province that offers licensing.
    I agree with this! I am also an unlicenced daycare provider. I'm in Alberta and for us, we're allowed to have 6 children plus our own. I take pride in my job and the kids are my #1 priority. I want what is best for them whether it be a good sleep schedule, eating, meeting milestones...the whole works! My daycare is a daycare I would want my children to go to. I have a lot of teacher families, a waiting list to get into my daycare and i think that says a lot about my daycare quality.

    Advice I would give to parents...interview interview interview. Ask questions, look around the daycare space, check out the yard etc. and don't let price be the decision factor for you. Cheaper doesn't always mean better BUT more expensive doesn't always mean better either. Ask for criminal record check, child intervention checks and make sure it's the right fit (philosophy, child rearing, and discipline) for your family.

    I don't really like drop in visits, although if a parent wanted to drop in they could. They would have to take their child home with them though when they leave as it's not fair to the child as to why mom/dad came and then didn't take them home with them. I think it's cruel.

  2. #12
    Shy
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    20
    Thanked
    3 Times in 3 Posts
    So how many children and what age groups can you have as an unlicensed provider
    in Ontario. What are the regulations likewise for a licensed provider?
    Does anyone know the rules clearly?

  3. #13
    Expansive... Play and Learn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    828
    Thanked
    140 Times in 116 Posts
    Ontario law states, "In Ontario, caregivers who look after five or fewer unrelated children under the age of 10 do not have to be licensed.

    Unlicensed child care are private arrangements made between the parents and the caregiver. Another name for unlicensed child care is informal child care." (http://edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/choosing.html#informal)

  4. #14
    Euphoric !
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Ottawa, Ontario
    Posts
    4,499
    Thanked
    1,469 Times in 1,125 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by fruitloop View Post
    I don't really like drop in visits, although if a parent wanted to drop in they could. They would have to take their child home with them though when they leave as it's not fair to the child as to why mom/dad came and then didn't take them home with them. I think it's cruel.
    Was just going to post this same concept. Feel free to drop in unannounced but when you leave you take your child with you. There is no way I am going to resettle a child in the middle of the morning because mom had a few extra minutes on her coffee break and thought she would pop in. It is a matter of trust and if the parent does not take their child then they have breached that important bond. The child trusted the parent when they said they would come back for them later. Well they are there later and now child thinks they have been lied to so they learn to distrust parent and then me as the caregiver for letting it happen.

    I first introduced this for a family that I didn't find out until week 2 after they had disrupted us 3 times each of those weeks that mom had taken her 3 weeks of vacation time for after child started care so she could monitor us. Well starting with week 3 the whole concept of how the visits were effecting the child and the fact the other children didn't understand if one parent came why the other parents didn't come right after that from now on she would have to take the child with her. She only came one more time after that - I think just to see if I was serious.

  5. #15
    Euphoric !
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Ottawa, Ontario
    Posts
    4,499
    Thanked
    1,469 Times in 1,125 Posts
    In Ontario you can have 5 children who have not reached their 10th birthday. Children over 10 do not count in your numbers. Your own children also do not count in your numbers. There are no restrictions as to the age mix that you can have.

    If you contract with an agency, the agency will have their own additional rules such as age mix and if your own children count. There can still only be a maximum of 5 daycare children. Only the agency is licensed and not the individual caregiver.

    If there are to be more than 5 children then the facility has to register as a daycare centre which is then a business and no longer a home.

  6. #16
    Hi
    I think it is hard on the child when the mom drops in and leaves. But as a parent it takes time to develop a bond with the provider.
    When you say "open door policy" thats what it means...drop in any time except nap time.
    Once things settle in and the child starts loving the provider,it is no longer an issue.
    I think providers understand that it is hard for parents to leave the children with anyone in the beginning.
    Most providers are mothers themselves.Let us not forget that many of them chose to stay home to also take care of their children so that they do not have to leave them with someone else.

  7. #17
    Expansive... Play and Learn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    828
    Thanked
    140 Times in 116 Posts
    What my parents do is call me throughout the day. Leave a message if I don't pick up, as I'm likely doing potty routine, outside walking/playing or putting them down for a nap.

    Even though I'm open door policy, I do state in my manual that if you are coming and your child sees you, be prepared to take them home with you. It's only fair.

  8. #18
    When the day care becomes a second home, children do not want to leave. If they fuss over a parent's visit, it is usually short lived. But that takes time and both parents and providers should understand this.

  9. #19
    Outgoing
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    AB
    Posts
    425
    Thanked
    103 Times in 59 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Myrtah View Post
    When the day care becomes a second home, children do not want to leave. If they fuss over a parent's visit, it is usually short lived. But that takes time and both parents and providers should understand this.
    This is not always the case. A lot of children (actually most children) would much rather be home with a parent than at daycare for 9 hours a day. Coming for a "visit" in the middle of the day is not only disrupting to the child but also other children in care AND to the daycare provider. It's not that we're hiding anything, it's to keep peace in the environment. When 1 child acts out because their parent came to see them and then left ...again...without them, it's not only that child that is disrupted...everyone is disrupted by them being upset. I would have to take that 5, 10, 15, 20, or however long calming the child back down to be a part of the group again. I don't think that's very fair to the other kids to take that time away from them or an activity because I was busy calming a child back down because their parent came for a drop in visit to check up on me and then didn't take the child back with them. I understand that it's hard to leave a child with someone you don't know but if there is something really wrong going on, your child will let you know...even as an infant there would be signs and cues that something is not right.
    The Daycare Room ~ A forum for providers ~
    http://thedaycareroom.forumotion.ca/

  10. #20
    I understand that it is hard on different levels for providers too. But then most times you do not know a provider very well when you start.
    A little bit of monitoring is essential because not all of them out there are good. They promise something and do something.In any case, it is to check if your child is coping...even if you trust the provider.
    It is true the child shows signs but a child also reacts differently when you start in a new place ..it is sometimes hard to tease out what is wrong.

    Trust comes with communication and time ...I do not think parents should constantly drop in but it might be important to do that in the initial times...have to keep it short.

    I guess if the provider is not ok with this, then its up to the parents whether they want to go with the provider or not.

Similar Threads

  1. Confessions of a daycare provider
    By bright sparks in forum Daycare providers' experiences with parents
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 08-23-2016, 02:44 PM
  2. Daycare dad spying on the provider
    By shaylee in forum Daycare providers' experiences with parents
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 09-27-2014, 09:38 AM
  3. Babysitter vs Daycare provider
    By MonkeyPrincess in forum The day-to-day as a daycare provider
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 02-27-2014, 05:49 PM
  4. Confessions of a Daycare Provider
    By torontokids in forum The day-to-day as a daycare provider
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 01-31-2014, 04:22 PM
  5. Working for former daycare provider
    By KingstonMom in forum Managing a daycare
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 06-29-2011, 09:04 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts

A few tips...

Always ensure that your child receives quality care by taking the time to investigate the provider and by asking for references! We simply cannot verify the claims of every daycare provider.
Did you know?
DaycareBear.ca has helped over 22450 daycare providers fill out their openings since its launch in January 2006!
Partner in your
search for a daycare provider