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  1. #1
    Euphoric !
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    Provincial Licencing

    I'm looking for input regarding licencing in each province. I know that some provinces offer licencing directly from the government to the home daycare provider, others require agency affiliation.

    I'm in Ontario, so I know what's going on here. Those from other provinces, I'd love to hear from you regarding your licensing system and regulations.

    Cheers!

  2. #2
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    In Manitoba, we're licensed through the province. I like it, overall it seems like a decent system. There's a group of us trying to address some if the issues that come up, and the new provincial government seems like it might be listening.

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  4. #3
    Euphoric !
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    Thanks Superfun! What's the cost of licencing to the provider? It appears that Ontario is the only one that is wholly privatized. All home daycare licencing is via third party agencies and it's not capped, which seems a little insane to us. The cost is huge - 15-30% of gross income. We're thinking there must be a better way.

    How does the oversight look there? For example, through an agency here, there is a monthly visitor who comes with a check list, then, potentially a visit from the Ministry annually. The visitor keeps you on track with the regulations between ministry visits. Is it similar there? What do your regs look like as they pertain to your home? I've seen an agency checklist from here and it's very, very extensive. We're sifting through which are Agency mandated as opposed to Ministry mandated.

  5. #4
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    You can check out my post from last fall
    http://www.daycarebear.ca/forum/show...t-of-questions.

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  7. #5
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    There's no cost to licensing, other than various changes you might need to make to your home, which makes everyone's experience a little different. I had to install 4 hardwired CO2/smoke alarms throughout my house, and add a fire extinguisher. So it wasn't very expensive. Some people need to increase the size of their windows, if they plan on using the basement for napping, to have a second exit in case of emergency. Our licensing sounds a bit opposite of yours, because in our province, you can choose to receive quarterly operating grants. And every licensed home is eligible for a start up grant, whether they choose to be funded or not. So if you choose to be funded, you agree to charge the rates set by the province. In return, they put X amount of dollars into your bank account every three months. The amount varies depending on how many spots you are licensed for. The maximum is 8. I can only be licensed for 6, because I have two of my own kids. Of the 8 licensed spots, only 5 children can be under the age of 6 (special exceptions can be make for full day kinder kids). Of the 5 children under 6, 3 of those can be under the age of 2. If you don't choose to be funded, you are still eligible for the start up grant, and you are free to charge higher rates.
    We have 4 unscheduled visits per year. One is a relicensing visit, so that can be quite long. The other 3 are just to check on us. It's always done by our coordinator, and I enjoy my relationship with my coordinator. She can be very helpful and supportive. And I like having someone around that I can express my concerns too. For example, I've only been in child care for 3 years. So if I was worried a child might be delayed, she could watch the child playing to see if she saw the same things I see. Then she could help me determine the next step, if something needed to be done.
    Regulations are not awful regarding our homes. If you have steps higher than 24 inches, you need a railing. If you use your basement, you need 2 exits. I have a hot tub, so I had to have a separate fence for it. This is one area that bothers me, because regulations vary from town to town. In my city, we have to follow stricter fire regulations than other areas of the province. No other town or city needs combined co2/smoke alarms hardwired into their home. Everyone else has the option to have a plug in CO2 detector and separate smoke alarms.

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  9. #6
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    In BC we are licensed locally by an inspector in our area so you know them from the start as they visit your home to approve of it and tell what changes need to be made then the City inspections happens to have everything to code and fire alarm system needs to be be hard wired in the wall and also the fire fighters need to inspect the house too, to tell you to take down wood panelling etc
    final inspection is done by the daycare inspector and she okays it and then you can open your daycare then she turn up for unscheduled inspections to make sure things are safe for children and clean etc - these inspections would be once or twice a year.
    we do get money from the BC Gov monthly as they like to know how many daycare spots there are in BC and if there is a waiting list for what age group - there are different daycare such as Family D/care in the home up to 7 kids 2 school age children =( NON ECE)
    under 3 =,ECE and Infant/toddler cert.$ children under age3 for 4 to 1 ratio -can be in the home (this is what I ruin in my home with just 4 children)
    then over 3's ration 8 to 1 ( set up in homes or centres)
    multi-age daycare which is in the home, have to be ECE and can have up to 8 kids different ages and last one is license not required, just for 2 children plus your own - an inspector does not visit these home but they get monthly visits for from the child care resource office - we are usually are members of this resource office and pay just $20 a yer for membership and that is also another way of getting parents in your area as they call the office up and ask about daycare with space available in their area

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  11. #7
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    There is no cost to licensing and the BC Gov does not control your fees so you can charge what you like and you fill out an attendance list for your daycare at the end of each month and send it to Victoria by email and the money is sent to your bank a/c, you don't get paid for days the daycare is closed- it works here and we are happy with the system

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  13. #8
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    A bit confused,

    Dear cfred, I was at a Ece's conference the past weekend, it was sad to know that other provinces also will be challenged with changes, in Manitoba they're parents and professionals in the field are advocating for $10 a day daycare, and change their adult child ratios.

    Quebec doesn't have anymore the popular $7 a day daycare, it is $20 more or less estimated on the family total income. The Quebec representative was concerned, because now parents instead placing their children in public run down daycares, they are choosing to pay a bit more and place.them in new private daycare centres. The proliferation of private centres are stimated on 300%.

    These are mega corporations, and homedaycares are also being challenged by this corporations.

    Our situation here in Ontario will also face something similar, it was anounced the creation of 100,000 opening spots in the term of five years. And big private corporations have a green light, or how else will this be solved? Parents and professionals are advocating to solve the childcare shortage, they're mobilizing all their efforts, letters, collecting signatures, and no they're celebrating the answer 100,000 spots.

    Unfortunately, non for profits will also be challenged by the private sector. If we allow the proliferation of the private sector the will obviously have voice and power to move and change regulations to their favor.

    We as homedaycare providers, we have.not even considered as part of their solution, the licensed sector is but even so, statistics show the need for qualit childcare is greater. The conference had good participation of daycare centres, now they.have the oportunity to expand, they will be financed and supported.

    So far in my neighbourhood caregivers are already struggling to keep their spots filled. Our challenges are schools offering daycare and lately the new Kids and Co. Corporation opening doors. Our market have decreased.

    Honestly I don't think we are done, we will have to face greater challenges now that the private sector.has a green light.

  14. #9
    Euphoric !
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    Hi Peacefulbird. You're right. Independent Childcare Providers (ICPs), are not represented at these meetings. We're working hard to gain a foothold, but man it's tough! We were able to get meetings with the Min of Ed and got one regulation changed, but I'll tell you, it took A LOT of work! There were 5-6 meetings which saw our executive committee members flying across the province to attend. And another several meetings including all the stakeholders. One of our execs is flying in from Ottawa for it as I type this. This is not to mention putting together a business plan, presentation, surveys, collection of data, cold calling, rallies, standing committee, press conferences, media interviews, personal expense, etc, etc, etc. For our group, when things are really rolling, it's a full time job on top of our full time jobs. We thought we were there, that we were being counted. To some extent, we are, but the licenced sector wants us gone. Period. They have the ear of the current government and, therefore, the media. The simple fact is that we'll have to fight hard, every step of the way, to gain recognition. We're gearing up again to campaign hard. The entire country is working toward a national framework...and we'd like our sector to be involved in that. We know the province could better utilize the money for those 100,000 spaces. We know that the $23,000,000 earmarked for 610 new spaces, though before the bill had even passed, we lost 690 ICPs...so they're replacing childcare spaces that ALREADY EXISTED and were self sustaining. But this isn't what the public sees. They see headlines and what the Liberals want them to see, but not what's really happening.

    FYI, I don't mention all the work entailed for any pats on the back, but rather to illustrate the sheer volume of effort required for what feels like minimal forward movement. So you are absolutely correct; we have greater challenges ahead. But we've come a long way from nothing and I think we can do it. And I can say that sitting in those meetings watching agency reps roll their eyes at us, smirk and even laugh, at times tested my patience to the limit. Till the day I die, reminding them of their much higher infant mortality rate (Auditor General Report) was one of the most gratifying moments of my life. Knowing that we've rattled them enough to spy on us online was also quite satisfying. So I do think we're capable of great change, if we pull together. ICPs have already made it to Queen's Park

    Of course, we're keeping in mind the upcoming election in 2 years. So the more data we can get now, the better. We need it. I've just put out a survey for providers and I'll post it here too, if you've not seen it yet. Let me say that just from the 300 responses we've had so far, the numbers are very compelling. Please share it with any providers you know. This is very important! I'll be getting another survey out for parents soon. I had hoped by the end of this week, but I think we want to align it with our website, which is almost ready...hopefully within a couple weeks. If you've not joined CICPO on FB, please do. Please pass on this survey to all providers and those who have had to close. I'm sorry to hear that your area is struggling with more competition. I doubt you're alone.

    https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/35YDPN8

  15. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Peacefulbird View Post
    Quebec doesn't have anymore the popular $7 a day daycare, it is $20 more or less estimated on the family total income. The Quebec representative was concerned, because now parents instead placing their children in public run down daycares, they are choosing to pay a bit more and place.them in new private daycare centres. The proliferation of private centres are stimated on 300%.

    These are mega corporations, and homedaycares are also being challenged by this corporations.
    I wish I'd been at that conference... you are absolutely right about the situation in Quebec. This isn't the proper thread for it here, so I won't get into it, but I personally don't see being in the subsidized system here in 5 years. And to be honest, maybe not even in 1 year. It's getting bad. However, the parents you say are willing to pay a bit more are actually not paying more in the private centers. That's the problem. The tax refund they get monthly often means they pay less for private.

    As for the 300%, the percentage of private licenced spaces 5 years ago was 1%... it is now at 20%. I'm not good with math, but I think that's 2000%.

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