Home-Based Child Care

Home child care is provided in a caregiver's home. You can find home child care for infants, toddlers pre-school and school-aged children.

Licensed agencies contract individual caregivers who use their own homes to look after children.

Caregivers are screened, approved and monitored by home visitors, who work for the home care agency.

The Ministry of Children and Youth Services inspects the agencies and some home child care locations at least once a year to make sure that they are meeting the requirements of the Day Nurseries Act.

What do home visitors do?

Home visitors have training in early childhood education, child development and family studies. They make sure that the caregivers are following the agency's policies and procedures. They may also help caregivers:

plan activities for children at different stages of their development
give advice about nutritious meal planning
check that the home is safe for children
help choose toys and equipment that are safe and suitable for the children
make sure provincial requirements are met

What are the advantages of this kind of care?

Children of the same family may be placed together
agency provides assistance, support and monitoring
caregiver has to meet certain standards of care
small group size. By law, caregivers can only provide child care for five children under the age of ten. The regulation sets out additional restrictions for the number of children cared for under the age of six years.

What are my licensed child care choices?