Ontario Caregivers - daycare announcement due today

[treeholm]

I have decided that because my clients are wonderful people who trust me, and whom I hope to keep as friends, I am morally required to tell them to keep an eye on the legislation and do what is best for them. Sigh.... not looking forward to these conversations, but at least they won't be angry later that I didn't tell them as soon as I found out. If it doesn't pass, I'm sure they won't leave me, but they need to be prepared. I will wait the rest of this week to get more info on anticipated timelines, but on Monday, I will tell my families that if it passes in its current form, I will be closing.

[playfelt]

So what I am taking from the act is that we can have 5 of any age mix as long as there are only two under age 2. While licensed can have 6 where we can only have 5 that isn't enough to incite us to join because the amount they take per child plus the hassles will negate the extra child

"Child" now refers to up to age 13 and I see nothing saying you can have school age to compensate. And nothing in the act that says your own children count in the numbers so we for sure need some clarification of what the ratios are.

[bright sparks]

So what I am taking from the act is that we can have 5 of any age mix as long as there are only two under age 2. While licensed can have 6 where we can only have 5 that isn't enough to incite us to join because the amount they take per child plus the hassles will negate the extra child

"Child" now refers to up to age 13 and I see nothing saying you can have school age to compensate. And nothing in the act that says your own children count in the numbers so we for sure need some clarification of what the ratios are.

The link you provided above states the following....

Children of the provider
(5) For the purposes of counting children at a premises under paragraphs 1 and 2 of subsection (3), a child care provider’s own children who are at the premises shall be counted unless they are six years old or older.

This could make a difference for sure fort those providers with their own children at school.

[bright sparks]

I have decided that because my clients are wonderful people who trust me, and whom I hope to keep as friends, I am morally required to tell them to keep an eye on the legislation and do what is best for them. Sigh.... not looking forward to these conversations, but at least they won't be angry later that I didn't tell them as soon as I found out. If it doesn't pass, I'm sure they won't leave me, but they need to be prepared. I will wait the rest of this week to get more info on anticipated timelines, but on Monday, I will tell my families that if it passes in its current form, I will be closing.

Do you really think it would be of great benefit all around to tell parents about something which is only in the planning stages? There are no facts to pass on to the parents and pretty much most info out their is through the media which quite honestly is not the best source. I have alradyr end two separate sources who have some conflicting info betweent he two.

You could potentially and unnecessarily damage your business. I would imagine that parents would look for alternative care in centres and if a spot comes up they would take it, out of fear that if they wait for legislation to pass that these spots will be pretty much nonexistent. You want to stay friends with them and feel like it is your duty to be honest with them but they will leave you in the shit if it means doing what's best for them. It won't be personal just doing what's in their best interests. What happens if the legislation is modified slightly so we get a better deal in terms of numbers and age groups. Then telling the parents would have been for nothing. You are not lying to them as you don't actually have any facts to tell them. IMO be telling them of possible changes, you will stir up anxiety and uncertainty in them which will only result in negative consequences for you, the dcp. This is what the media does, scare people, and stir up chaos. I think it would make much better sense to tighten belts, and prepare for the worst but not get people all in a panic with what the media says.

[treeholm]

I do see what you are saying bright sparks. I simply feel I need to let my parents know what is being proposed to they can keep an eye on it. I know they would not choose a centre over me, because my one family with the new baby is sending their one year old one day a week just to hold the spot so they can send both next year. I gently asked them to consider finding alternate care when the baby turns a year old since I can't guarantee the spot, and they said they wanted to stay with me badly enough that they would take that risk rather than looking elsewhere. If it hadn't been causing such a stir in the media, I wouldn't feel a need to say anything to them. But I fear they will find out elsewhere and wonder why I kept it from them. I should say, however, that I am in a unique position. I started a daycare to look after my grandchildren, whom I don't charge. I will continue to do that. I have a part-time teaching position as a professor at a university, so I can increase my teaching hours. I also have a scrapbooking retreat centre, which I run on weekends. Daycare was only a temporary thing for me until my youngest grandchild goes to school, so I won't be upset if I have to close. I am not worried about myself personally. I am horrified for my friends who rely on daycare income as a way to stay home with their own children.

[bright sparks]

And this is the only mention on numbers and ages of children in unlicensed home daycare which means there is also no agency involvement.

"unlicensed child care, five children or less
2. The child care provided at the premises meets the following criteria:
i. The child care is provided for no more than five children or, if a lesser number is prescribed by the regulations, no more than the prescribed number of children.
ii. There is no agreement between a home child care agency and the child care provider that provides for the agency’s oversight of the provision of care.
iii. The group of children does not include more than two children who are younger than two years old."