Centre-based	9,048
Family day care	156
Total regulated spaces	9,204

CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Children with special needs in regulated child care (1998)

441

SUBSIDIES

Children receiving subsidies (1998)	1,568
Percentage of children in regulated child care receiving subsidies	17%

SPONSORSHIP OF REGULATED CENTRE SPACES

Non-profit	Information not available
For-profit	Information not available

Maximum centre size

60 spaces

Child care programs are approved for a maximum of 60 spaces; however, those approved prior to 1983 which had more than 60 spaces have been grand-parented.

Staff qualification requirements   No early childhood education training or experience is required. Staff must be at least 16 years old. Staff 16-19 years old are required to be supervised by a primary staff member who must be at least 19 years old. All staff must have first-aid training.

Parent involvement   Non-profit centres are required to have a board of directors whose members include at least 25% parents of enrolled children. All centres must hold at least one parent information meeting per year.

Licensing, monitoring and enforcement    Nine regional coordinator positions are responsible for monitoring compliance with the regulations. Child care centres receive one full-day inspection and a minimum of three unannounced visits per year.

Centres determined to be in non-compliance with standards are provided with a time frame in which to comply. Where the day care service is considered necessary, and where the Minister is satisfied that the requirements will be met within the designated period of time, the regulation permits the issuance of a temporary approval for a period not to exceed 6 months. The regulations provide the authority to suspend or cancel a license if the program is deemed dangerous to children.

REGULATED FAMILY DAY CARE (COMMUNITY DAY CARE HOMES)

Regulation  Individually licensed

The capacity maximums include the provider's own children under 12 years.

Provider qualification requirements   Providers must be at least 19 years old and have first-aid training. No early childhood education training or experience is required.

Licensing, monitoring and enforcement   The nine 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.