Child Care

Child Care Choices

Thinking about Child care

The majority of parents work outside the home. Finding a way to balance the demands of work and parenting your toddler can be a challenge.

Choosing child care is an important and sometimes hard decision. There are many child care choices available. Child care options can be divided into two main types: outside your home and inside your home.

What Will Work for Your Family?

How much care do you need? Full‑time? Part‑time?
When do you need care? Regularly? Overnight? Only occasionally? A few days a month?
Can you get your toddler to child care or does the caregiver need to come to you?
How will you transport your toddler to the childcare setting? How much travelling time will it take?
What kind of care approach do you want? Lots of time with people? Free play time?
How much can you pay?

What Will Work for Your Toddler?

Children can be happy in many different sorts of child care settings. Here are some questions to think about:

Does your toddler like large groups, small groups, or one‑to‑one attention?
What kind of care suits your toddler’s temperament?
Do you think your toddler would like being at home? Near your home? Near your work?
Does your toddler like going out and having lots of things to do, or does she like quiet times the best?

Licensed Child Care

Licensed child care can be in a public building like a community hall, a church, or a specific child care centre. It can also be provided in the caregiver’s home. It often has set hours. There are caregivers who step in for absent staff members. Often there are children of the same age group, and larger groups of children. Licensed Child Care must follow specific regulations.

Regulations that licensed child care facilities must meet include:

Staff must have certain qualifications for education and practice.
The centre must have the right number of staff for the number of children.
Staff must undergo criminal record checks.
The program must cover everything and be organized.
Space and equipment must meet regulations.
The food must meet standards.
Emergency plans must be in place.
No one is allowed to smoke.

Licence‑Not‑Required Child Care Options

License‑not‑required (LNR) child care is given in an informal child care setting. This is usually in the caregiver’s home. LNR care is allowed for one or two children of any age in addition to the caregiver’s own children. Family care may have more flexible hours. The children can be of different ages. If the caregiver becomes ill or has to be absent, care may not be available. Sometimes the care may be stopped with little warning.

Child Care in Your Home

In‑home care is where you get someone to look after your toddler in your own home. In‑home child care can range from having the help of a grandparent to hiring a nanny who lives with you full time. An in‑home caregiver may be called a nanny, an au pair, or a babysitter. There are both advantages and disadvantages to in‑home child care. Your toddler will be able to stay in the place she or he knows best. Travel time is not required. There are no special arrangements to be made if he becomes ill. On the other hand, you will have to bring a new person into your home. You will need backup plans for times when your caregiver is not available. Also, your toddler may be upset if your caregiver leaves.

For more information about childcare options and childcare subsidies, see pages 148‑153 of Toddler’s First Steps: A Best Chance Guide to Parenting Your 6‑ to 36‑ Month‑Old Child.

Finding Child Care

Start trying to find child care long before you need it. Child care spaces fill up quickly. Once you have an idea of the kind of child care your family needs, in or out of home, you will need to search out the options in your community:

Talk to other parents.
Check your public health office for referrals.
Check with neighbourhood groups.
Check local newspapers, Yellow Pages, community bulletin boards.
Contact the Child Care Resource and Referral (CCRR) program in your local area.
To see more child care resources, click here.

Key Questions for Child Care

You will want to interview possible child care providers. Here are some key questions to consider whenever you place your toddler in the care of others: