Daycare Consulting Services helping Parents, Providers and Operators

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

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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.

 

How to Interview a Home Childcare Provider: Our Tips

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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? –  Seek out experienced providers, Early Childhood Educators, Early Childhood Assistants and supported providers if they are new.
  • How many children do you care for? – Ask for the providers maximum group size. Agencies and Daycare Consulting Services can decide on size of the group these decision are based on how experienced the provider may be and the size of the space.
  • What about background checks? – Anyone working with children should undergo a thorough background check. If this isn’t the case you’ll want to take a pass. Daycare Consulting Services ensures the providers and any family members over the age of 19 are checked.
  • How flexible are you with pickup times? – Some providers have a late fee if you’re late picking up your child. Find out before you commit.
  • What is the sick child policy? – Ask the provider what the health policy is, if there is not health policy you may want to find someone else.
  • How do you handle medical emergencies? – Ask them to show you their First Aid and CPR training. Daycare Consulting Services and Agencies require this.
  • Who else has access to the home? – During the hours when kids are there ask who will be home.
  • How much time do the kids spend watching TV? – Ask about TV time and how much is used for what purpose.
  • What type of food do you serve? – The home provider should have nutritious meals and snacks for the kids; Providers follow Canada’s Food Guide.

Other things you may want to look for is the type of toys and play equipment and whether those are age-appropriate, where and when the children nap.  What they do on bad weather days etc.

Call us on (416) 494-5898 to schedule a visit or to ask any questions you may have about daycare.

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 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  Toronto. 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 in Toronto 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

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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