Ontario Caregivers - daycare announcement due today

[Artsand crafts]

I was just trying to read through the actual bill proposal and it looks like they are proposing that anyone who stays unlicensed would have to disclose that they are unlicensed and have the parents sign off that they are aware that their provider is unlicensed.

It seems kind of like branding unlicensed caregivers with a scarlet letter.

12. (1) Any person who does not hold a licence shall, before providing child care in a circumstance described in paragraph 2 or 4 of subsection 6 (3), or, if relevant, in subsection 6 (4), disclose to the parent of the child, in a manner that may be prescribed, that the person does not hold a licence.

That could be to address what some providers are doing when they call themselves licensed, when they are working for an agency. I have seem several ads of home daycare that claim to be licensed.

I don't have any problem explaining potential clients that I am not licensed (or work for an agency) and the benefits they are getting for me being unlicensed. It has not been an issue so far for the ones who ask for an explanation about the differences and this is a though area for providers since most parents are looking for licensed daycare centers and live-in nannies.

[Spixie33]

That could be to address what some providers are doing when they call themselves licensed, when they are working for an agency. I have seem several ads of home daycare that claim to be licensed.

I don't have any problem explaining potential clients that I am not licensed (or work for an agency) and the benefits they are getting for me being unlicensed. It has not been an issue so far for the ones who ask for an explanation about the differences and this is a though area for providers since most parents are looking for licensed daycare centers and live-in nannies.

What do you tell them are the advantages for having an unlicensed provider?
I have had that question posed to me from a parent once and I blanked out. All I could say was something about how licensing isn't a 247 safety net because inspections only come sporadically.

I know dozens of reasons how unlicensed care benefits me and my business and gives me a lot of freedom in terms of who I take on and what I charge....but what are the benefits to a parent?

[momofnerds]

1. someone mentioned about insurance, I know of 2 companies that will insure up to 5 children. 6 children no way. So someone has to send this out to the goverment, they just don't have insurance for up to 6 kids.

2. so my 15 yr old is taking civics and I was telling her about this bill (she wants me to print it out so they can have a discussion on it) she was telling me all the steps it takes for a bill to pass. And its a long one. So just because it passes the first 3 readings, means that it goes to the next level. Tommorrow I will get her to tell me the whole thing and how the bill passes, but even she said it does take a while.

3. I refuse to licensed. I did it when I first started 10 yrs ago and it was a joke. I refuse to get paid sqaut for my services. And all they did was push to go to their center for play dates so they can see how I interact with the children. So when I went I couldn't believe that they weren't shut down. I think the goverment needs to clean their own house before they come and clean mine.

[momofnerds]

also when I went thru an agency, it was wierd that they wanted to make sure that my fridge temp was set to a certain level but didn't care what I fed the kids. Their surprise visits were to sit and chat and annoy me and the children. also the tb test, really because why would I need one but no one else in my house or the parents dropping them off, they also didn't help when their was a problem.

[Artsand crafts]

Their surprise visits were to sit and chat and annoy me and the children... they also didn't help when their was a problem.

These I hated, too. I thought it was just a wast of time someone just seating there and chatting. If parents knew about it I don't think they would be that impress with the agency visits

[Artsand crafts]

What do you tell them are the advantages for having an unlicensed provider?
I have had that question posed to me from a parent once and I blanked out. All I could say was something about how licensing isn't a 247 safety net because inspections only come sporadically.

I know dozens of reasons how unlicensed care benefits me and my business and gives me a lot of freedom in terms of who I take on and what I charge....but what are the benefits to a parent?

I basically tell them that I would not be able to afford what I currently offer for the benefit of their child if I worked for an agency (and explain that agencies take a huge part of their fee since for most parents that is transparent and haven't given it a though). I tell them that it would be impossible for them to find what I offer with a "licensed" provider since they would not be able to afford it because of their reduced income.

[momofnerds]

I also think that children over the age of 4 shouldn't count in ratio's anymore because they are in school all day. They need to think about this too. If kids are in school all day how can they be counted in ratio when they are not physically here.