Centre-based
Infants	232
Toddlers	845
Preschool	2,893
School-age	919

CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Children with special needs in regulated child care(1998)

239

 

SUBSIDIES

Children receiving subsidies (1998)	3,634
Percentage of children in regulated child care receiving subsidies	51%

 

SPONSORSHIP OF REGULATED CENTRE SPACES

Non-profit	4,815
Municipal	26*
For-profit	48
* A municipality acts as the board of one centre in the province

Maximum centre size	90 spaces
A centre with more than 6 infant spaces may only enroll infants and then only up to a maximum of 12.

Staff qualification requirements    Centre supervisor must have a 1 year certificate in child care or equivalent.

Every staff member must take a 130 hour child care orientation course or equivalent, provided through regional community colleges, unless the person has a 1 year certificate in child care or equivalent.

One staff member in each centre must have completed a first-aid course.

Parent involvement    Day care centres are administered by parent boards. In these programs, 51% of the board members must be parents who are using the program. Child care centres are required to have parent advisory committees.

Licensing, monitoring and enforcement    Thirteen provincial program consultants develop, license, monitor and consult with both centres and family child care homes and conduct two visits annually. A provincial program consultant is not required to have a background in early childhood education.

A facility may be issued a conditional license that stipulates the conditions necessary to ensure no risk, or to correct a compliance issue; conditions may be continued as long as necessary, and may be amended as required. If the unmet requirements cannot or have not been remedied, a provisional license can be issued as long as the health and safety of children is not at risk. If the non-compliance is not corrected within the specified period (to a maximum of 6 months) the license would be revoked. There is no appeal board or formal appeal mechanism, but the facility may appeal directly to the Minister of Social Services.

REGULATED FAMILY DAY CARE

Regulation    Individually licensed.

Maximum capacity    Up to eight children (including the provider's own children under 13 years) between 6 weeks and 12 years. Of the eight children, only five may be younger than 6 years; of these five, only two may be younger than 30 months.

Provider qualification requirements    Must be 18 years old. An orientation session with a program consultant and first-aid training, plus two professional development workshops each licensing year are required.

Licensing, monitoring and enforcement    Program consultants conduct annual visits to renew licenses in addition to periodic drop-in visits throughout the year.