Licensed Private Home Daycare
Licensed, supervised care in private homes located through out the City of Brantford, and the County of Brant. An approved Home Child Care Provider may care for up to five children in her home.
The Private Home Day Care Program is operated by the Corporation of the City of Brantford Child Care Services. This program utilizes suitable private homes in the community to provide care for children of parents who work, attend an approved education facility or are participating in community placements. Children in need of additional support to maximize their development may also be assisted. This program is only available through Child Care Services to families requiring financial assistance with their child care costs.
This program is licensed in accordance with the Day Nurseries Act of Ontario. The legislation defines private home day care as, "Temporary care and guidance for reward or compensation of not more than five children under ten years of age in a private residence other than the home of the parent or guardian for the continuous period not exceeding 24 hours....of the five children, there can only be 2 under 2 years of age or 3 under 3 years of age." The provider's own children 6 years of age or over may be excluded from the count.
"We participate in Raising the Bar on Quality, a voluntary community standards program for licensed Child Care Programs in Brantford and the County of Brant".
Main Objectives of Private Home Day Care
- To PROVIDE a home atmosphere that responds to the individual needs of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school age children.
- To ENCOURAGE each child to build a trusting relationship with children and adults.
- To HELP each child reach his/her full potential.
- To DEVELOP in each child a positive attitude through learning in a home environment.
- To SERVE parents so they feel comfortable and have confidence in the care their child is receiving.
- To SUPPORT the child, parent and provider appropriately in the home.
- To ASSIST parents in choosing appropriate placements for their children in a supervised home environment which respects all cultural and family values.
- To SELECT and monitor child care providers and their homes to ensure that they continue to meet home child care policies and day nurseries legislation.
Recruitment of Providers
Persons interested in being approved as private home day care providers should contact Child Care Services. A telephone intake is completed, further information about the program is mailed out, and the intakes are held until such time as there appears to be a need in their neighbourhood.
When the need arises, a Child Care Services representative arranges an in-home interview with the interested person for the purpose of discussing the program. Subsequent visits are arranged for further discussion regarding the agency's expectations of providers and the assessment of their home as a safe facility. Throughout these visits, the applicant is encouraged to express her or his philosophies and views about child caring and behaviour expectations. Specific forms which help to assess the applicant and the home must be completed. Two or more visits are required before a Child Care Services representative is able to comfortably recommend that a person be approved as a private home day care provider. One of these visits is to be scheduled when the prospective provider's own children are home in order to observe the provider's parenting skills.
Selection and Retention of Providers
Candidates for Providers are:
- Persons with training in early childhood education or child care
- Persons from other disciplines who have experience in caring for children, ie: a nurse or teacher
- Experienced parents who have developed a real interest in children and in planning activities for them
- Persons who are seen as being friendly, non-judgmental and supporting toward others
- Persons holding a recent first aid certificate and /or CPR training certificate