Proposed changes to the DNA in Ontario

[playfelt]

A link to this was on my facebook page this morning - Ontario providers stay tuned I guess.....

http://www.newstalk1010.com/News/loc...tryID=10599335

[cfred]

Really, I'm not feeling too terribly concerned about all of this. They've been talking about it for years and really, wouldn't we all like to see some rules and enforcement in place? I can't help but think that something will be implemented, but I can't imagine we'll have to follow the same current restrictions as a daycare facility. Seriously....no longer being able to make a living at it, most of us would just shut down....and let's face it....don't we hold around 80% of the daycare market? I think some rules and standards would be a good thing, for those of us who are doing our jobs properly. Personally, I don't like that I'm lumped in with those idiots we see in the news. Rules and enforcement would eliminate that problem. I'd be happy to have inspections, thrilled to have someone come and take a look at what I'm doing, and over the moon to set my business apart from those who shouldn't be doing it. We need standards to live up to. Thus far, there really aren't any. I hold onto the hope that the powers that be understand the situation fully enough to see the big picture and try to work out a system that works for all of us. The working population of this province will be in a mighty unpleasant spot of the majority of daycare vanishes.

[playfelt]

I would like to share your optimism cfred but from what we are learning through our group here in Ottawa and their lobbying it is going to be an uphill battle for sure of an us vs them and we just might not come out on the winning end of it all. I get that we can threaten to just close and it will make parents mad but that isn't going to be helpful to us.

I think we were hoping the process would take a bit longer than it is. On the other hand the only changes proposed so far are ones that really do make sense and that is making one ministry a mandated reporter to another ministry if they see something that should be investigated.

[treeholm]

I admit I haven't paid too much attention, because I doubt anything will happen before I retire in August of 2016, so forgive me if I sound ignorant as to the complexities. In my other job, I'm a business professor. And the fundamental principle here is supply and demand. If the government forces home daycares to become licensed, and we all say, "forget it, too much trouble", who will look after all the children? It would be an economic disaster, unless the government is also planning to make sure there is a daycare space for each child in a centre. And we know, that many of our clients chose us deliberately because they wanted a home environment. So, that would take the home daycare business into the underground; something the government certainly does not want to see happen! So personally, I wouldn't worry. They have no control over our businesses. We are not civil servants, we are business owners. We can simply all close down and the Canadian economy will grind to a halt.

[playfelt]

Not sure staging a full out revolt has been on the agenda but for sure we have offered other suggestions to the ministry. Based on current feedback from the ministry I think we do have to take this seriously. But I am in the same situation as you treeholm in the sense of nearing the end of my career knowing that if I don't like the new rules I can pack it in. For those just starting out or who depend on the income as part of the family support they need to keep abreast of proposed changes for sure. I am totally basing my future on what is going to be expected of me and how soon it needs to be done. Hubby retires in March 2015 and I haven't decided what I am doing yet.

[cfred]

I wasn't so much suggesting that most would shut down in revolt. More likely, as would be my case, because it's not worth staying open if we can't make a living at it. Really, this is my sole source of income to support my family.....and no where near retirement. I just bought a home, so if it all goes to pot, I'm pretty much screwed. I would think that there would be lots others out there like me who simply won't be able to stay afloat following the same ratio regulations as larger facilities. It's simply not feasible. Nor can I afford to work for an agency who will so graciously skim 25% of my income. I would hope that this would be considered when coming up with some solution for the daycare problems at hand.

[sunnydays]

Playfelt, I couldn't get the link to work and can't seem to see it on the CCPRN facebook page. Do you think you coudl post it again?

I am trying not to worry...going about business as usual, but it is concerning. I am nowhere near retirement and had planned to keep going with my daycare for quite a few more years. I have invested a lot into my daycare and love what I am doing, but I could not afford to stay in business if forced to go through an agency or reduce the number of kids or count my own etc.

[playfelt]

I am hoping groups like CCPRN have been successful in convincing the ministry of education that the agencies are just whining and what should really happen is that they should increase their numbers to match those of independent care as well as lose the age restrictions since the ministry pulled an entire age bracket out of care. As well the DNA has never been upgraded to show that infants don't start care till they are a year old. It is one thing to be caring for two 6 month olds but different to be caring for two 18 month olds and yet by agency rules they are considered identical. I did get the impression in one of the debates I saw on tv that the agencies for sure feel even more threatened and that their days are numbered since if we go the registration route they will won't be needed. Will have to wait and see just whose influence was greater - although independent caregivers do hold a monopoly.

[playfelt]

Nothing for newstalk1010 is coming up for me today either. Maybe give a few hours or a day and try again.

[AmandaKDT]

What you are describing sounds exactly how it is in Manitoba, we have restrictions on age (no more than 2 under two) and if you are not licensed you can't have more than 4 kids under 12. And your own kids are always included in your numbers. There have also been talks of making things stricter and not allowing for unlicensed home daycare at all since it is unregulated.

I don't know... after the sometimes frustrating licensing procedure was finished I have had no problems with the whole thing. I am my own business woman, but I have certain regulations to follow, just like any professional business. I like being held accountable, when I decided to do daycare it didn't feel right to me unless I was licensed.