WHEN MOM MUST WORK:
FAMILY DAY CARE AS A WELFARE-TO-WORK OPTION
APPENDIX A
FAMILY DAY CARE REGULATIONS
Newfoundland and Labrador
Maximum number of children permitted in unregulated care: 4, including the caregiver's own children under 7 years.
Newfoundland is developing regulations for family day care.
Family resource centres provide support to caregivers.
Start-up/operating funding: None.
Prince Edward Island
Maximum number of children permitted in unregulated care: 5, including the caregiver's own preschool-age children. 6 if a mixed-age group up to 10 years with no more than two younger than 2 years.
The province individually licenses regulated providers.
Maximum capacity in regulated care: 7, including the provider's own children under 12 years, with a maximum of 3 children under 2 years.
Provider qualification requirements: 30 hours of training, 2 letters of reference and a current first-aid certificate.
Licensing, monitoring and enforcement: Early Childhood Services conducts a program review using The Family Day Care Rating Scale. Annual inspections are made by the Child Care Facilities Board, the Fire Marshall's office and an Environmental Health officer.
Start-up/operating funding: No start-up funds. Operating grants of $450/year/home, plus an additional $250/child under 2 years.
Nova Scotia
Maximum number of children permitted in unregulated care: 6, including the caregiver's own preschool children. If all children are school-age, including the provider's children, 8 children are permitted
Family day care agencies are licensed by the province that contract with individual providers.
Maximum capacity in regulated care: 6 children of mixed ages, including the caregivers' own preschool children, or up to 8 school-age children, including the caregiver's own school-age children.
Provider qualification requirements: Provider must be at least 18 years, not on the child abuse registry, and pass a criminal record check. Agency staff must have ECE qualifications. Most agencies provide training for caregivers and have a criminal screening process in place.
Licensing, monitoring and enforcement: Family day care agencies are responsible for recruiting and screening caregivers, approving homes and monitoring. Provincial staff conducts annual visits and evaluations of agencies.
New family day care regulations are now under development.
Start-up/operating funding: One-time start-up grants of $100/subsidized space. Operating grants of $3.25/day/space/provider. Agencies receive administrative grants of $1.65/space/day. Special needs funding is also available for children with designated disabilities.
New Brunswick
Maximum number of children permitted in unregulated care: 5 if children 0-12; 4 if children 2-5 years and 8 if all children are school aged. No more than 2 infants are allowed. Includes the caregiver's own children under 12.
The province individually licenses regulated providers.
Maximum capacity for regulated providers: no more than 3 children under 2 years, or 5 children aged 2-5, or 9 children over 6 years, or 6 children in a mixed-aged group, including the caregiver's own children under 12.
Provider qualification requirements: Providers must be over 19 years and have first-aid training
Licensing, monitoring and enforcement: The 9 regional coordinator positions are responsible for licensing and monitoring community day care homes. Community day care home providers are issued an initial Certificate of Approval and must make an annual request for certificate renewal. The regional coordinators spot-check community day care homes to ensure compliance with the regulations.
Start-up/operating funding: None.
Quebec
Maximum number of children permitted in unregulated care: 6, including the caregiver's own children under 12.
Regulated family day care providers are supervised by licensed family day care agencies or Early Childhood Agencies that operate home-based and group care. Maximum capacity for a family day care agency is 150 spaces. Mixed service agencies may have a maximum of 250 spaces.
Maximum capacity for regulated providers: 6 children, including the provider's children under 12 years; no more than 2 children may be under 18 months. If the provider is assisted by another adult, 9 children are permitted, with no more than 4 children under 18 months.
Provider qualification requirements: Agency staff must have 3 years experience working with children or supervising adults. They are responsible for screening, hiring, supervising and monitoring providers. Family day care providers must hold a first-aid certificate and complete a 45 hour training program pertaining to child development, health and nutrition, and organization and leadership in life environments.
Licensing, monitoring and enforcement: Agency staff are responsible for on-site visits. The ministry monitors records of home visits and activity reports.
Start-up and operating funding: Agencies receive development grants up to $6,512, plus 50% of start-up costs to a maximum. Funding for equipment for children with special needs $1,629, plus operating grants averaging $19.03/child/day in eligible homes. A number of funded agencies provide training for providers.
Ontario
Maximum number of children permitted in unregulated care: 5, excluding the caregiver's own children.
The province licenses private home day care agencies that are responsible for the recruitment, screening, training and monitoring of providers.
Maximum capacity in regulated care: 5, not more than 2 under 2 years, and not more than 3 under 3 years, including the caregiver's own children under 6 years.
Provider qualification requirements: Agency staff must have an ECE diploma, or equivalent qualification, plus 2 years experience working with children of the same age. Providers must be 18 years or older and, if working with children with disabilities, must hold a first-aid certificate. Most agencies provide training for caregivers and have a criminal screening process in place.
Licensing, monitoring and enforcement: Agency staff are required to conduct quarterly in-home supervisory visits. The Agency is responsible for ensuring that legislated requirements are met.
Start up/operating funding: Start-up funding was eliminated in 1995. Non-profit programs are eligible for wage grants (frozen in 1993) for agency staff at approximately $5,000/staff and $1,000/provider. Pay equity funding for non-profit programs incorporated by 1995 currently pays approximately $1,200/agency staff. The province also allocates $22-million for family resource centres, some of which provide support and networking opportunities for both regulated and non-regulated caregivers.
Manitoba
Maximum number of children permitted in unregulated care: 4, including the caregiver's own children.
The province individually licenses providers.
Maximum capacity in regulated care: (one caregiver): 8 children under 12 years, including the provider's own children. No more than 5 may be under 6 years, and not more than 3 may be under 2 years. (Two caregivers): 12 children under 12 years, including the provider's own children). No more than 3 children may be under 2 years.
Provider qualification requirements: None. Providers must be at least 18 years of age and have a valid first-aid certificate. However the provincial department responsible for licensing assesses the provider suitability based on recognized family day care standards and inspects the provider's home. The license applicant must provide personal references and written authorization for criminal record screening of individuals residing in the family day care home.
Licensing, monitoring and enforcement: Provincial Coordinators conduct 3 drop-in visits and one scheduled re-licensing visit per year.
Start-up and operating funding: Start up grants are one-time at $300. Operating grants are $572 annually for infants and $195 annually for pre-school and school aged children. Subsidy rates are increased for caregivers providing extended hour care.
Saskatchewan
Maximum number of children permitted in unregulated care: 8, including the caregiver's own children under 13. No more than 5 may be younger than 6 years; no more than 2 may be younger than 30 months.
The province individually licenses providers.
Maximum capacity in regulated care: 8 children (including the provider's own children under 13 years) between 6 weeks and 12 years. Of the 8 children, only 5 may be younger than 6 years; of these 5, only 2 may be younger than 30 months.
Provider qualification requirements: Must be 18 years, and required to take an orientation course and first-aid training, plus 2 professional development workshops each licensing year.
Licensing, monitoring and enforcement: Program consultants conduct annual visits to renew licenses in addition to periodic drop-in visits throughout the year.
Start up and operating funding: One-time start up grants of $200/home, $300/home in the north. $50/month/child is available for children with special needs.
Alberta
Maximum number of children permitted in unregulated care: 6, including the caregiver's own children under 12. No more than 3 children may be under 2.
There is no licensing for family day care, however the government enters into contact with family day care home agencies to approve and monitor providers according to provincial standards. Agencies contract with individual care providers.
Maximum capacity in regulated care: 6, including the provider's own children under 11 years with a maximum of 3 children under 3 years, and no more than 2 children under 2 years.
Provider qualification requirements: No formal training requirements.
Licensing, monitoring and enforcement: Agency staff visit family day care homes once a month to ensure that providers are operating according to provincial standards. Provincial staff may also conduct sample spot checks of agencies and homes.
Start-up and operating funding: Family day care agencies receive a monthly administration fee of $95/child under 35 months for the first 10 children, $63 for subsequent children, and $65 for the first 10 children 3 - 6 years, $50 for subsequent children.
British Columbia
Maximum number of children permitted in unregulated care: 2, excluding the caregiver's own children under 12.
The province individually licenses regulated caregivers.
Maximum capacity in regulated care: 7 children under 12 years, including the caregiver's own children. Of the 7 children, no more than 5 may be preschoolers, no more then 3 under 3 years, and no more then 1 child under 1 year.
Provider qualification requirements: Must be over 19 years and have a first-aid certificate. There are no early childhood training requirements.
Licensing, monitoring and enforcement: Annual licensing visits are conducted by health ministry licensing officers. An initial inspection by the Fire Marshall's office is required when a new home opens.
Start-up and operating funding: Caregivers who are members of a Child Care Resource and Referral Program are eligible to receive $3/day/per occupied space to a maximum of 2 spaces for children under 3 years old. The province also funds 34 Child Care Resource and Referral Programs that provide information, support and training to child care providers. They may also have equipment and toy lending libraries.
Yukon Territory
Maximum number of children permitted in unregulated care: 3, excluding the caregiver's own children.
The province individually licenses regulated caregivers.
Maximum capacity in regulated care: 8 children of mixed ages, with no more than 4 infants, including the provider's own preschool children. No more than 6 preschool children, with no more than 3 infants. If there is an additional caregiver, additional 4 school-age children are permitted.
Provider qualification requirements: Caregivers must complete a 60 hour introductory early childhood development course, a specific family day care course, or equivalent within the first year they provide care for children. Caregivers must be 18 years of age and have a first-aid certificate.
Licensing, monitoring and enforcement: 1 annual license renewal inspection and 4 to 5 unannounced spot checks per year by a government child care co-ordinator.
Start-up and operating funding: Operating grants are available to family day care homes.
Northwest Territories
Maximum number of children permitted in unregulated care:4, including the care giver's children under 12.
The province individually licenses regulated caregivers.
Maximum capacity in regulated care: 8, under 12 years, including the caregiver's own children. No more than 6 of the 8 children may be under 5 years, no more than 3 may be under 3 years, and no more than 2 may be under 2 years.
Provider qualification requirements: Must be at least 19 years and have a first-aid certificate.
Licensing, monitoring and enforcement: Homes are visited at least once a year by a program officer from the Child Day Care Section and representative from each of the Public Health Department and the Fire Marshall's office.
Start-up and operating funding: One-time start up grants are available to family day care homes, starting at $188/space. Operating grants of $1.25 - $14.25/occupied space/day, depending on the age of the child and the location of the program.
Source: Childcare Resource and Research Unit (2000) Child Care in Canada 1998: Provinces and Territories, Toronto.
