Licensing question..

[agesandstagesdaycare]

Does anyone know if a home daycare provider in Ontario can get licensed without going through an agency? I want to get licensed but from what I've been reading in the DNA, it looks like we can't get licensed on our own. But if I go through an agency I have to let them find clients for me and they get part of each child's fees. I already have clients and I don't want to pass over part of my income to them. Frustrating..

Anyone have any experience with this?
Thanks.

[giraffe]

No you cannot get licensed. Only and agency or centre can be licensed. In some cities you can become "registered" with a group or organization who may or may not have requirement such as fire and health inspections, first aid, police checks etc.

[Play and Learn]

Unless you open more than one daycare in your name, you can get licensed - but what giraffe said is also true!

[Tot-Time]

In Ontario a home daycare can be licenced (unless things changed when the ministry of Education took over) it is just very difficult process so most of us don't bother. You would have to follow the DNA which states, child size toilets, X amount of toilets per number of children, if you care for older children the girls and boys have to have separate toilet areas, you have to have at least 10% window area, a certain square footage per child, etc. By the time you altered your home to meet the requirements, would it still be a home?

You also have to watch the by-laws for your area because some areas will have a by-law that a home daycare CANNOT be licenced ~ which is what Ottawa has.

Also to become a licensed home daycare you would have to change the zoning of your home, which isn't always the easiest to do as well.

If there was an easier way to be licensed without having to go through an agency I would be on board! I think the govn't needs to realize this and change the DNA to allow home daycares to become licensed without having to mimick a centre. Or develop a compromise, let us keep our homes looking like homes, enforce the requirements for an agency home, and inspect us directly etc. I find working through an agency is very limiting and when I was with an agency I didn't have a good rapport with my home visitor.

I too would love to be independentaly licensed :) At one point, I even had the ministry requirments paperwork and never went through with it.

[Emilys4Guppies]

But what is the point of independant licensing then?

[agesandstagesdaycare]

Tot-Time,
Thanks for the info. It's frustrating that each province is so different in it's policies. I've worked in centres in NL, and NS and it's different there too. I used to be the director for a NS centre so I'm used to the DNA and loved being licensed and it felt right to me as a professional. However, it's frustrating that the gvernment doesn't make it easier and more encouraging for providers to WANT to become licensed. I'm really dissappointed.. I think that we should all have to put up with home visits and more firm regulations. Mayube one day it will change and we'll feel more secure and children will parents can feel that their children are safer.

[playfelt]

At the same time if you belong to any chat groups that have lot of US providers on them you have probably heard the woes that come with the licensing having to adhere to rules that make sense only on paper, etc. If we knew for sure that the new rules would be "appropriate" I would be all for it. But somehow after having worked with an agency I doubt that is possible because everything has to be arbitrary to become a rule such as things based on age of child not ability. I have seen an 18 month old trustworthy on stairs and a 3 year old in the same family that was not but the "rule" is gates till child is 2 so in this case the agency would say the gate needs to be up for the younger child but is defining for the older child so should be removed. Being private and independent lets me use my own common sense and do what each child needs.

[Sandbox Sally]

I really would like to figure out a way to push the government of Ontario to allow day homes to become licensed if they so choose. I personally would jump at the chance. Parents feel safer (although this is mostly unfounded, IMO), and we could accept subsidized children as well. The subsidy thing is huge here in Toronto anyway, because nearly everyone qualifies for at least partial subsidy. If we can't accept subsidy, we can't accept the child care kids, and their parents are forced to go elsewhere. SUCKS.

[Play and Learn]

The subsidy thing is huge here in Toronto anyway, because nearly everyone qualifies for at least partial subsidy. If we can't accept subsidy, we can't accept the child care kids, and their parents are forced to go elsewhere. SUCKS.

We can in Ontario accept children with subsidy - you just have to apply for it. I think it's a waste, and wouldn't want to go through all the trouble.


Parents feel safer - but some don't at certain daycare centers because the centers are too large. Parents that I've spoken to like home daycares much better as it's more one-on-one care-giving.

[Sandbox Sally]

Oh wow! We can accept subsidy? I looked and could find nothing to indicate that. I am going to look again. As it happens, I filled my spaces without it, but I think it might be handy in the future. Why do you think it's a waste? Just curious? Because you can fill your spaces without it?

I agree regarding the centre thing - but parents keep asking me that magic question - "are you licensed?". I think they want us to have some kind of accountability to someone.

[playfelt]

If you joined an agency they you would qualify for subsidized children. I used to have a child that was subsidized through the Ontario Works program. I had a fair amount of paperwork to do but the money was given to the parent to pay me so it was money to the parent as part of the program and they could choose to pay whoever. This was 10 years ago when I lived in London though.

[Skysue]

No you cannot get licensed. Only and agency or centre can be licensed. In some cities you can become "registered" with a group or organization who may or may not have requirement such as fire and health inspections, first aid, police checks etc.

It must depend on the city you live in becuse for $350.00 in my city a home day care can get a licence!