Opening Private Day Home

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There are rules about having childcare in your home. Where you live in Canada will make a difference on how many children you can care for, what ages the children can be and what you need to do to meet the provincial requirements. It will also determine the fees that you can charge.

[Suzie_Homemaker]

How many children do you have in your home? I have 5. That is max I am allowed in my province. Some province allow more, some allow less. Check your regs for your province.

I am thinking I just want babies and toddlers.Again, check regs for age limit restriction. In PEI, we are allowed 5 but not have more than 2 children under 18 month (infant) and we not have more than 3 in total of infant and toddler (up to 35 month). This mean if I want all 5 of my allowed children, no more than 2 infant+1 toddler and other 2 children must be older than 35 month. If I limit to infant and toddler only, the max I could have is 3. No exception. Check your provincial regs. The will fine you heavily or shut you down if you over ratios.

What do you charge an hour?
Day care is charged per day, week or month. Per day is most common. Not common to do per hour. Here, average fees is $32-$35, so the most I earn if full is 5 x my daily rate. But remember business expenses. After expenses, the profit is about $25 per child. So, $25 x 5 = $125 a day. Someone else said 9-10 hours with children in house. But after they go, you clean, disinfect, prep for next day so it really 12 hour a day. $125 / 12 hours = $10.42 an hour. After expenses. But we still pay tax on income like everyone else. And if we have vacancy, then this hourly rate is less until at capacity again. If I have sibling group who move away, then my income goes down to 3x$25 = $75 = $6.25 an hour until I have those vacancy fill again.

Do you charge extra for late pick up?
I do as deterrent. $1 a minute. Enforce it or someone will take advantage. Make it expensive or someone will think it cheap option for babysitter into evening. If only charge $5 every 30 min late, no big deal for parent to have 2 hour supper date after work. It only cost them extra $20 if you do that.


What does your contract look like?
Like any other contract in the World. Has names of people agreement between, you and parent. Spells out agreement clearly. Days of care, beginning when, hours of care, payment due, how much, what included in fees (snack, lunch, milk), what not included (diaper, wipe, formula milk), what if they not pay, how much notice needed from either side, reasons for instant termination.


Do you take any holidays?
Yes but I limit the number of day so parent know up front how many day off they agreeing to and I give lot of notice.

Do you provide meals? Or do the children bring packed lunches?
Registered provider here must provide morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack. Unregistered not have to provide but beware. Some parent forget meal, some parent not bring much, some parent bring microwave meal for heating which pest if 5 meals reheat for 3 mins, that 15 mins from first child eat to last and chaotic.

Also for naps, can they be in the same room?Again regs for different province. Here, under two and over 2 must be separate and nap room must not be in activity room.

Do you do planned activities?Yes, this daycare not babysitting. Structured day, outside time 2 times a day if not -20 or colder, letters, numbers, outings, library,


Please share any information that you maybe struggled with when you opened your daycare. Get contract in writing before child start and enforce it. If you not enforce contract, parent will think it valueless and not pay any attention to it either. You cannot be everything to everyone. Decide what your business boundaries are and stick to it.
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[BlueRose]

For help with your contact, forms, information on policies and insurance etc check out www.homedaycarebusiness.weebly.com