I agree with you Judy. Parents need to be held accountable as well. I can't imagine being a parent and dropping my child off somewhere where they are "hoarding" children. Unfortunately, some parents don't do their research and don't even know the laws. Or they ask the dcp and the dcp tells them a lie and the parent doesn't check the facts. I have had parents and friends ask me what the laws are here (MB) and are shocked when I tell them. Quite a few have told me that they were told by other dcp's that it's 5.

Here in MB, we are allowed 4 including your own children. I wish that they would increase the number to 5 or 6 but I don't think that will happen. Like you said, illegal daycare's will continue to operate. I'm not sure about elsewhere but here, if a dcp is found to have too many children all that happens is they are made to call the parents immediately and all need to be picked up asap. The dcp can open again as long as they stick to the 4 child rule and/or take the steps to become licensed. Their is no real consequence to running over the limit other than the parents are without dc as of the next day. (and of course the potential risk of injury increases with the larger amount of children)