The Radio show I was on...

[Cadillac]

Everyone was asking to listen: I didn't think you could but my friend found it and posted it on facebook (so supportive!)

Here it is:

The only thing I regret is not mentioning how the decrease in numbers will affect Ontario. Otherwise . . listening back . . . I'm kinda proud.

Scrutinize at will . . .

http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/podcasts/m...0228_74602.mp3

[mimi]

Well done and thank you for getting our concerns aired.

[Daisy123]

Love it!

[bright sparks]

I did have a questioning about the licensing you refer to. Could you explain that please. It is my understanding that there is no licensing. Are you referring to agency requirements and/or the restrictions a region may put on the provider if they are to promote them?

[Cadillac]

In ontario in order to be a liscenced home daycare you must go through an agency. therefore you have to follow age restrictions and the agency takes a cut of your daily rate . .

[bright sparks]

I should have started my post with a thank you. Thank you so much for sharing this Cadillac, what a great opportunity....how did you manage to arrange it? I think it is wonderful that you were able to make your voice heard and speak for the many home daycare providers out there needing to be heard.

I do take issue though with the use of the wording "unlicensed" in general. It implies that there is such a thing as a licensed home daycare provider which lends false hope and reassurance to parents. There is no licensing. If you register with an agency, they are licensed not the individual and they do not regulate beyond ratios and to regulate requires them to be present on a regular basis to make sure each and every registered provider is sticking to their rules. This would include not only scheduled regular visits but also regular unannounced drop ins. I still wouldn't call this licensed daycare though, simply regulated daycare. To be licensed, such as trades are, there is a minimum requirement of training and hours required prior to being licensed to do your job. To license home daycare providers like this is ridiculous as people's experience comes from many different backgrounds, some with little to no experience quite often, who still manage to do a more than adequate job of caring for children, but licensing tells the general public that we have proven our ability to do the job which even upon signing up with an agency is not a requirement. Police checks and CPR training show you have been trained in that area and have no criminal record but are not a way to prove competence.

I am sure that some people will disagree with my opinion but I really do feel that to describe any provider as unlicensed is implying that we have the option to be licensed, which we don't. It further makes it appear to some that we choose not to be licensed for convenience of making more money. I understand why signing up with an agency costs us money and is of no benefit to either the provider or child in general and how the restrictions in ratios is actual a negative thing like you described, but I think it would be helpful to educate the general public on the differences, or lack of between an agency registered daycare provider and a private provider. I think they are a much more accurate way of describing the types of providers as it takes away the negative tone that can be interpreted by the general public when hearing or reading the term "unlicensed" Also I think people need to understand that the role of an agency versus what they follow through with is two different things and really how it makes a difference in terms of the child's safety and quality of care.

There is a difference between the labels "licensed" and "registered with an agency" or "regulated". A provider who is registered with an agency is not licensed and should not be allowed to use this term to win over parents with false reassurance, when their agency likely regulates to the point of ratios and paperwork requirements, most don't follow through on their promises to support a provider, and none of the agencies rules do anything to prevent a poor daycare from running or makes a daycare safer for the child. Parents need to understand this and need to be told the truth about the reality of their daycare options.

[bright sparks]

In ontario in order to be a liscenced home daycare you must go through an agency. therefore you have to follow age restrictions and the agency takes a cut of your daily rate . .

This is a play on words though. A daycare provider is never licensed it is the agency not the individual who is licensed and leads a parent to have false reassurance.

[5 Little Monkeys]

I didn't realize that was the way in ON BS. Here, we have licensed and private (unlicensed) hdc's. I see your point in the wording and can see why it would lead parents to a false reassurance.

So hdcp's who are with an agency... the agency never checks up on them to make sure they don't have extra kids and are following procedures properly?

[bright sparks]

I didn't realize that was the way in ON BS. Here, we have licensed and private (unlicensed) hdc's. I see your point in the wording and can see why it would lead parents to a false reassurance.

So hdcp's who are with an agency... the agency never checks up on them to make sure they don't have extra kids and are following procedures properly?

Not to my understanding, or at least not adequately. Pretty much every provider I have spoken to about agencies have said they have received less than promised or adequate support. They simply take money from you and not only restrict your numbers but control a lot of your policies too.

[5 Little Monkeys]

That is too bad!! Here, we have no agencies but the licensed hdcp's get an unexpected visit 4x a year from their area coordinator. These are the same coordinator's who monitor the dc centre's. One of the dc centre's I worked at always seemed to have a heads up on these visits but I know they are supposed to be unexpected.