Daycare Consulting and Licensing Services Ontario

Daycare Consulting Services provides an expertise to help daycare operators, providers and parents in the GTA

Sandra Vella

Opening A Child Care Centre

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Whether you are thinking to buy an existing child care or creating one from scratch here are somethings you need to know

  • You must first choose a prospective location and survey the area to be certain there is a need for your service
  • Check with the Zoning Department in your municipality to make sure that the area is zoned for “daycare” use.
  • Download and review the Child Care and Early Years Act (CCEYA) and Child Care Licensing Manual to understand what is involved while you are licensed.

Do I Need a Child Care Licence?

The Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 (CCEYA) requires any premises that receives more than five children under the age of 13 years for temporary care and guidance in Ontario to be licensed by the Ministry of Education.

On average, it takes 4 months to transfer a child care centre as a share sale or home child care agency. However, to open a new licensed child care centre or home child care agency it can take more than a year. Time will vary depending on a number of factors, including;

Incorporating a corporation for a profit or non profit
Developing policies and procedures and a parent handbook
Obtaining all required approvals for Ministry of Education, Fire and Health departments plus building approvals
Renovations and/or construction
Obtaining a police records checks for Directors and Staff
Purchasing equipment, toys and materials
Hiring a supervisor;
Recruiting staff;
Recruiting home visitors and home child care providers; (if an home child care agency)

How Do I Apply for a Licensed Child Care Centre/Home Child Care Agency licence?

Operators across the GTA have relied on Daycare Consulting Services for help with this process. They’ve come to trust our services and our unwavering professionalism. If you’re in the process of looking to open daycare in Toronto or the GTA  Daycare Consulting Services should be at the top of your list. Call us on 416-494-5898 and schedule an appointment to talk to us. We’ll be happy to answer all your questions so that you can make an informed decision.

 

A Few Tips to Help You Find the Best Home Daycare in Toronto

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You’ve done your research and made the decision that daycare is the best option for your family. That’s great news! But the research isn’t quite finished yet. As any parent will tell you, when it comes to selecting the best home daycare agency in Toronto, doing a little extra research will make a big difference to your child’s experience. Daycare Consulting Services can help you in making the right choices.

How to Find the Best Home Daycare in Toronto

On the plus side, there are lots of great options to choose from in the GTA. On the downside, these extra options mean you have to do a little more research to choose the best for your kids. With a little extra legwork, you can find a home daycare that is really well suited to your needs. Here are a few tips to get you started:

  • Set expectations: What are you hoping to get out of the arrangement with a daycare provider? Whether you’re just looking for a place that your kids can have fun at during the day, or a place for them to learn specific skills, there is a home daycare agency in the GTA for you. It’s important to look at your own expectations first and foremost before beginning any kind of search.
  • Licensed or Unlicensed? In Canada, there are two types of daycare, licensed and unlicensed. A licensed home daycare provider receives unannounced visits from an agency. They are also allowed to have more than 6  children in the program. Unlicensed providers can have up to five children in care. New ratios as of July 2019 is 3 children can be under 2 years and 2 children over 2 years up to age 13.
  • Reputation: This is one of the most important things to look for in home daycare in Toronto. Ask the provider for references or drop by during pick up time and ask some parents directly about the daycare. If parents aren’t raving about it, you may want to continue your search elsewhere. Daycare Consulting Services can provide you references on the provider of choice.
  • Policies and Rules: While some flexibility is important, like when you can drop off/pick up your kids, when it comes to basic ground rules and safety, the provider should be well organized and able describe their policies and provide them in writing. Things like sick policies, emergency plans and parental drop-in allowance should all be considered carefully.
  • Curriculum: The best daycare providers take their curriculum seriously. Some are more specialized, while most are centered around general care and young learning. Either way, the daycare should have a plan for activities each day, lots of active play time, quiet time and if necessary, time for meals and snacks. All of the activities should be age appropriate. Ask for a sample lesson plan so you can get an idea of a typical day

Just a little research will go a long way for you to select the best home daycare in the GTA for your family. If you make the right choice, you can look forward to lots of art projects, new friends and one tired little kid at the end of the day.

To find out more information contact Daycare Consulting Services

Yonge and Major Mackenzie Daycare Space

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Mahnaz’s home daycare located at Yonge and Major Mackenzie, is an ideal environment for children to enjoy fun, creative, stimulating and educational activities. Mahnaz stresses safety in the large daycare space dedicated just for the children, allowing them to explore and move about freely.
Mahnaz who has 20 years of daycare experience, has completed a Child Growth and Development Training Program and attends workshops, to upgrade her skills. The most workshops were Baby Sign Language, Communication, and Speech and Language. She has her First Aid/CPR certificate.
Mahnaz’s multi age program:
  • Supports the developmental needs of each child on an individual basis, working together with the parent
  • Takes advantage of a library within walking distance
  • Encourages life skills such as putting away toys, eating and dressing independently, toilet training as well as, helps them develop strong social skills
  • Reflects the importance of positive self esteem
  • Includes story time, painting, drawing, music , block play, puzzles and circle time
  • Offers nutritious homemade lunches and healthy snacks
With Mahnaz’s experience with children from infancy to school age and ability to promote and support their physical, emotional and intellectual development, the children are prepared to enter junior kindergarten, with confidence and an eagerness to learn.

Looking for providers to join our network

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Are you already providing care? Are you looking for a career in child care are you home with your little ones living in Toronto, Thornhill, Richmond  Hill or Scarborough  how about becoming a provider?

You can set your own contract, including rates and payment for absent days
You choose your own hours and days that you would like to operate 
You can potentially care for 5 children under the age of 13 
You decide which families and children you wish to welcome into your home
We provide support to you and the children through visits and safety checks 
We offer one on one assistance and support for dealing with challenging situations or issues with a child or parent 
You have access to training including First Aid and CPR
We connect you with other providers and host celebratory events – you are part of a community 
You will receive a regular newsletter and lots more

Contact us if you are interested to find out more about becoming a provider and work from home 416 494 5898

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Benefits of Early Daycare Experiences as Proven By Studies

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daycare in Richmond HillMuch ink has been spilled about the benefits of early daycare. As most articles on the subject point out ‘studies have shown’ that early daycare can make a real difference in the lives of young people. While few who know anything about early daycare and its beneficial effects would quibble with such claims there are those who ask the question “Which studies are you referring to?” In the hope of clearing up any lingering doubts we’re going to use this post to cite several of those previously mysterious ‘studies’ that have found early daycare to be beneficial.

The Benefits of Early Daycare in Richmond Hill and the Studies to Back it Up

Parents are protective of their kids and want only the best for them so when writers start throwing around claims about the benefits of early daycare in Richmond Hill or elsewhere some parents are naturally sceptical. We understand this and so here is what 3 actual studies have to say about the benefits of early daycare.

  • Study 1: Dr. Arthur Reynolds and his colleagues at the University of Minnesota conducted a 25 year study that followed more than 1,000 participants from their preschool years into young adulthood. Reynolds and his colleagues found that study participants who attended daycare programs eventually found better jobs, suffered less drug and alcohol abuse and had fewer run-ins with the law than kids who didn’t attend daycare. They see a direct correlation between the interpersonal and intellectual foundation built in preschool programs and the children’s later ability to navigate challenging situations.
  • Study 2: The Abecedarian Project was conceived and run by the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute and followed poor children in North Carolina from shortly after birth up through the age of 30. The study divided participants into 2 groups, one which was given high-quality early daycare and preschool and the other which was not. By the age of 30 participants who were provided early daycare were nearly 5 times more likely to earn a college degree than the children who did not receive the early intervention. Incomes were also higher for the daycare group and they were far more likely to have steady employment.
  • Study 3: An ongoing study run by James Griffin of the Institute of Child Health at the US National Institutes of Health has shown that children who received high-quality childcare in their preschool years demonstrated higher cognitive and academic achievement levels as teenagers. The children who received early years daycare were also less likely to act out than children who did not and they also possessed stronger interpersonal skills that serve them well later in life.

As these important studies demonstrate the debate over the value of early daycare is, for all intents and purposes, over. If you’re interested in high quality home daycare in Richmond Hill contact J&F Home Child Care Services. Our experience providing daycare to Richmond Hill families is second to none and can help get your child off on the right foot in life.

Our Tips for Interviewing a Home Childcare Provider in Toronto

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Leaving your child in the care of a stranger is not an easy decision to make or one that should be made without carefully vetting prospective childcare providers. By quizzing them thoroughly on their qualifications, methodologies, experience and more you’ll be able to feel comfortable with your ultimate choice.

Questions to Pose to Providers of Home Childcare in Toronto

In some cases you’ll know within 10 or 15 minutes whether a provider of home-based childcare in Toronto is a good match. In other cases it might require an hour long interview and several follow up visits. Here are some standard questions to ask that will help you get the process started:

  • How long have you been in business? – While everyone has to start somewhere, when it comes to childcare the more experience the better.
  • Are you licensed? – The law requires childcare agencies to be licensed. If the home childcare provider works through an agency visit the agency and ask to see to see their license.
  • How many children do you care for? – Overcrowding means a higher likelihood of accidents regardless of how experienced the provider may be.
  • What is the child/adult ratio? – If the child/adult ratio is more than 4:1 you run the risk that your child will be poorly served.
  • What about background checks? – Anyone working with children should undergo a thorough background check. Make sure you ask the agency about this.
  • How flexible are you with pickup times? – Some providers levy stiff penalties if you’re late picking up your child. Find out before you commit.
  • What is the sick child policy? – While the effectiveness of banning sick kids is debatable you’ll still need to know what the agency’s policy is.
  • How do you handle medical emergencies? – Is there someone in the home who is trained to handle basic medical emergencies? If not, you’ll want to pass. All agency providers have standard first aid and cpr.
  • Who else has access to the home? – During the hours when kids are there access to the house should be limited. Is this the case?
  • How much time do the kids spend watching TV? – Some childcare providers will flip on the TV and sit back, while responsible ones will provide the children with a range of activities.
  • What type of food do you serve? – The home provider should have nutritious meals and snacks for the kids; not just sugar, fat and soda. Ask do they follow the Canada’s Food Guide.

Other things you may want to ask about include the type of toys and play equipment and whether those are age-appropriate, where and when the children nap, whether there’s any type of CCTV or other video coverage and whether or not you’re allowed to visit your child during the day.

J & F Home Childcare has been providing high quality childcare in Toronto for more than 35 years. We’re fully licensed and dedicated to the well-being of the children in our care. Call us on (416) 494-5898 to schedule a visit or to ask any questions you may have about our full range of services.