Ontario Caregivers - daycare announcement due today

[treeholm]

Crafty, do you have a phone number or email address for that lady at the ministry?

[momofnerds]

also, how are we going to prove the ages of the children. I refuse to give that info out to anyone. Also, the local ministries probably have as much info as we do.

[treeholm]

also, how are we going to prove the ages of the children. I refuse to give that info out to anyone. Also, the local ministries probably have as much info as we do.

That's easy, they will just force us to collect birthdate info and have it available.

[mommarmars]

Here are the details if anyone is looking for it.

http://news.ontario.ca/edu/en/2013/1...ation-act.html

[crafty]

She also gave me this website so we can make our voices heard before it is passed

http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/home.do

Treeholm she is specifically for my area I believe but what the heck give it a try and see. I,ll send you in a PM.

[treeholm]

Thanks crafty!

[username]

Here is what I am sending:

I am concerned about the proposed changes:

- having a 6th child is not an incentive for me to join an agency (their age restrictions are prohibitive and the fact that upwards of 20% of the daily fee remains with the agency)
- it will not create more licensed spaces because the age limits cap it at 3 under 3 years old. It may open 2-3 spaces for after school/PA day/summer care but for not children ages 1-3 where there is already a shortage and the schools will be taking over before and after school care for the most part. This situation creates an environment for illegal daycares to open up and be successful.
- under the new proposed restrictions for private care givers I imagine several home daycares will close, many new moms will not be starting up home daycares, fees will increase dramatically, part-time children will not be accommodated and some parents will need to "be let go" in order to be in compliance with the proposed changes

Some things that I would like to see are:

- increasing ratios for infants in centres to create more spaces. The ratios were created when an "infant" could be under 6 months when maternity leaves were shorter. Currently, they can care for 10 infants with 3 providers. That should be increased to 12 infants since they likely around 12 months plus and with devices like 6 seater strollers it is manageable and good help centres stay in good financial standing. Perhaps the toddler room ratios could be slightly increased as well to allow more subsidized/licensed spots to become available.
- home providers and licensed providers with an agency should be able to care for 7 children with minimal age restrictions. Assuming most moms have an average of two children that would mean that many have been functioning well with 7 children in their care (two of their own). The provider's own children under the age of 6 should count in the numbers. Once their own children are over the age of 6 they could care for 7 children. This would help with coordinating moms returning from mat leaves, PA/summer holidays and transitioning new children to care with some flex in the current allowable limits. Much of the difficultly with home child care is the juggling of part-time schedules, accommodating maternity leaves, holding spots for moms returning from a maternity leave, PA days and holiday care. Extra flexibility would solve this problem for both providers and parents.
- these deaths that happened in the Toronto area speak loudly to the child care crisis in Toronto more so than the entire province. These tragedies are not happening in home where there are 5, 7, or 8 children. It is happening in severely crowded homes where there are dozens of children where the providers are motivated by greed.
- Allowing up to 7 in some homes where providers have some minimal training and basic standards are being met would shift some of those children from the overcrowded homes and those homes that are not offering quality care. It would create more choice for parents and allow the parents to determine the better home daycares for themselves.
- up to 7 children would also allow care givers to make a decent wage in a profession that is severely undervalued and hopefully allow them to invest back into the daycare to create a quality environment for children. This could allow for some of those larger purchases needed to care for a group of young children.
- the limit should be two under 18 months (where the provider’s children count in those limits). Because of full day kindergarten the turnover of children is much faster now in home daycares. Often a maternity leave in between age one and age 4 when they go off to school also creates a quick turnovers and makes scheduling difficult. Two under 2 years would create a bias against mothers returning from a maternity leave and looking for care being accepted into a home daycare.

- I would like to see a voluntary registry (registering verses licensing) whereby a provider could apply to have up to 7 children should they meet some basic requirements: CPR training, annual training, police check, fire inspection and perhaps a site visit to be allowed up to 7 children. Documentation could be mailed or submitted electronically to a governing body and a permit could be issued. Then the provider would be mailed a permit to be placed in their front window. Parents could see the capacity limitations and so could curious neighbours to avoid false reporting and save time for inspections of those bending the rules. It could also include a phone number for those concerned to call. Registered providers should have current first-aid and CPR certificate and complete Levels 1, 2, and 3 of the Family Child Care Training Course, which is available through the Canadian Childcare Federation or equivalent. The license applicant must provide 3 personal references and written authorization for criminal record screening for themselves as well as any other adults residing at the residence on an annual basis. Proof of liability insurance would be required. Registration would be renewed annually and would include an inspection by the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal. Other recommendations would be welcomed.

The Day Nurseries Act does not allow two adults to care for more children in one home. Home child care can be an extremely isolating profession. Being able to work with another individual allows for adult interaction and someone to plan with. It also enhances safety and accountability. While one is making the lunch or toileting children the other can be reading, playing, painting or taking the children outside. While smaller children are napping, one provider can be at home with the children and the other can take older children to the library, museum or park etc. It allows for both age groups to have their needs met and to enhance programming. This option should also be considered.

Parents need choices and options and children need to have their needs met with their best interests in mind. Any good provider would advocate for that. I receive several emails and phone calls from parents that are eagerly seeking quality care only to find out that I am full and carry a long waiting list. There are several quality home childcares in our city that I often refer these parents to and they are often told that they are full as well. The great ones are always full leaving parents to choose substandard care. Their ability to choose quality care and attain their first choice (or often second and third choice) for care is not always possible and they are left having to settle for the first place that has an opening in order to be able to return to work (often an illegal daycare or in the care of someone who is not properly trained or offering a quality environment)

I firmly believe that we should be overseen for quality and minimum standards. By providing a means of licensing home child care parents could rest assured that they were some minimum requirements required in order to open your door and welcome children in the morning. We would all like to help make a difference in supporting families in Ontario. Please advocate to protect parents for the right to chose the child care option that works best for them by providing more choices and not limiting them.

About 80% of children are cared for providers like myself and I would hate to see the government not include us in this discussion. The media witchhunt against home child care providers is insulting to our work. The dedication many of us bring to this profession early each morning as we open our doors to these young children should be praised. We are the ones planning crafts, shopping on weekends for groceries, cleaning the space after hours, meal planning, interviewing families, and thinking of these little people as we fall asleep. We allow parents to go to work, for the economy to function and for some of us it has allowed us to raise our own children while making an income. We are business women who pay taxes and write receipts for parents. Yes, there are some providers who have ruined our credibility but the majority of us would like to reinstate the public’s trust and become accountable through a registration process.

I would really like to see the province get this right and make the system work for everyone!

[treeholm]

It's on the agenda for a second reading, according to the website for the Legislative Assembly. Of course, I don't really know what that means in terms of when they debate and vote.

[Other Mummy]

username....May I use a lot of what you wrote. Sum it up but use some points of yours. You nailed it perfectly. I'm writing my MPP at lunch today.

[momofnerds]

if the ratio is going to be only for under the 4 yr olds, what is the ratio going to be for the 6 to 10 yr olds.