Canadian Maternity leave law change

[5 Little Monkeys]

It's a bit of a hasty generalization to say that infant spots are usually easy to fill regardless of location. I know a considerable amount of providers who would disagree... Although since Bill 10, less than 50% of the under population are now being catered to. It totally depends on saturation and location to be fair and accurate. I understand that the under two rule has been in place for some considerable time in some provinces, but Ontario is in an acute state as a result of childcare spots being cut so recently, so providers have just gone from being able to fill all five spots with infants, to being at less than 50% capacity as a result of Bill 10. In addition, Ontario has an all day everyday kindergarten program since a few years which has significantly impacted the ability to fill spots as a result of there being no demand for home daycare for 4 and 5 year olds and nearly 50% of 3year olds. I fear that in Ontario providers case adjusting the maternity leave to 18 months will further reduce the age range we will likely take the majority of the time.

I never said parents would use hdc for six months and move onto a centre, perhaps I wasn't very clear. What I meant is that many people wouldn't look into home daycare if centre care was their first choice, unless centre care wasn't available to them, which for the most part in ON it isn't to children under 18 months. Once investigating home daycares, some parents are suprised and may change their opinion and go with a home daycare as they learn of the benefits, without any intention of pulling them out for centre care in the future. As infant spots are already so limited in this province and completely unable to meet anywhere near the demand, I think that more parents will get on centre wait lists from birth and get their spots secured without entertaining the idea of hdc thus potentially resulting in a potential negative impact to our industry.

Yes these are my fears and maybe unwarranted, but I'm here, now, in this province experiencing it first hand and seeing things from the front line, knowing multiple providers closing and receiving countless infant enquiries weekly that I have to turn away, and reading something slanderous towards home daycares in Ontario on a regular basis which is already pushing parents to centre care and not home daycares. It's going to impact people differently as there are always various challenges specific to a multitude of reasons. I'm going to be prepared and plan for every eventuality. I think I'd be foolish not to have a back up plan.

Yes it's a generalization but you just proved my point....if ON providers used to be able to fill all 5 with infants than filling 2 should be no problem. It's the over 2 spots that can sometimes be harder to fill. However, mat leave being 18 months won't change this....at least not that I can see right now. Like I said, TYPICALLY the infant spaces are easiest to fill. I actually know no provider who would disagree with that statement.

Here in MB, more and more schools are going to full day kinder as well. However, many dc's don't take part time so that's a moot point to many of us. I expect children to stay with me for 3-4 years. Mat leave being 18 months doesn't affect that by much. (Of course there are exceptions to this 3-4 is the norm)

I do agree though that this may limit some parents from looking into hdc's. However, centres only have so many infant spaces as well, so IMO, there will always be a need for hdc's.

Change is hard, I totally get that but I think if ON providers can look at how other provinces deal with the ratios, they will realize it can be done!

I also really don't see that many families taking 18 months vs 12. Like Suzy, IME, most can't afford it