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Licensing: Standards, legislation and inspections
Licensing: Standards, legislation and inspections
In Ontario, anyone who cares for six or more unrelated children under the age of 10 must be licensed by the Ministry of Education. This includes home-based child care and centre-based child care.
Licensed child care programs must meet and maintain specific provincial standards set out in the Day Nurseries Act. These standards provide for the health, safety and developmental needs of the children.
At least once a year, staff of the Ministry of Education make unannounced inspections of all licensed child care programs to:
- make sure that provincial standards are being met
- issue and renew licences
- investigate complaints
- monitor operators who are having difficulty meeting licensing standards.
Licensing reports for all home-based and centre based licensed child care programs are available on the licensed child care finder.
The licensing inspector spends time in the program and interviews program staff to make sure the child care program meets the government's licensing standards:
- Policies and procedures
Policies and procedures
Child care operators are required to have written policies and procedures in place to address matters such as:
- fire safety
- serious allergies
- sanitary practices
- how the centre handles serious occurrences such as a child injury, parent complaint, etc.
- criminal reference checks for staff, and volunteers
- how the centre provides medication to children
- how the centre handles children's misbehaviour
These policies are available to parents when requested.
- Building and accommodation
Building and accommodation
Child care programs must meet safety, space and temperature requirements. For example, this may include having specific space for:
- eating and resting, for programs that run for six hours or more
- food preparation, if meals are prepared on the site
- separate sleeping and play rooms for different age-groups
- storing medical supplies, cleaning materials and other hazardous substances out of children's reach.
The licensing inspector will also check the building's lighting and temperature to make sure they're appropriate for each age group.
- Equipment and furnishings
Equipment and furnishings
All equipment and furnishings must be in clean and safe condition and appropriate for the age of the children. For example, child care programs must have:
- Enough indoor and outdoor equipment to serve all children in the program
- Outdoor play equipment that allows for physical activity
- A cradle, crib or cot, as age-appropriate, for every child
- Telephone service or another approved way to contact emergency assistance.
- Playground
Playground
There must be enough outdoor play space for all children to play. The playground must have a fence with gates that are kept securely closed. Staff must be able to supervise all children at all times.
- Records
Records
Child care operators must keep records about:
- inspections
- insurance
- children's immunizations
- attendance
- finances.
All child care programs must have an up-to-date list of emergency telephone numbers, including emergency information for each child. They must also keep a daily record of incidents affecting the health, safety or well-being of any child or staff member.
- Staff and group size
Staff and group size
There must be enough staff to care for all the children at the program. For example, at child care centres, there must be at least one adult for every three children under 18 months of age, and at least one adult for every five children who are 18 months to 30 months. At least one adult for every group of children must be a registered member of the College of Early Childhood Educators or have ministry approval to take the place of an ECE.
- Nutrition
Nutrition
All food and drink must be properly stored, prepared and served to preserve nutritional value and prevent contamination. The program must provide meals for all children one year and older, and nutritious between-meal snacks. Menus must be planned in advance and be posted and available to parents. Staff must carry out special dietary and feeding arrangements according to parents' instructions.
- Program activities
Program activities
Child care operators must have a statement that outlines their program philosophy, fees and other administrative details. Staff must post a daily program of activities, which should include outdoor play and rest time, as necessary. Program activities should promote the healthy growth and development of children.
- Health and medical supervision
Health and medical supervision
Operators must have procedures to observe children for potential health issues, make arrangements for ill children and give children medication. For example, medications must be properly stored in a locked container so that children cannot access them. The child care program must have a first-aid kit and manual readily available.
Staff of the Ministry of Education inspect private-home day care agencies to make sure they meet provincial standards in the following categories:
- Policies and procedures
Policies and procedures
Private-home day care agencies are required to have written policies for requirements such as fire safety plans, serious allergies, sanitary practices, hazardous products, serious occurrences (i.e., a child injury), criminal reference checks, medication administration and others.
- Behaviour Management Policy and Procedures
Behaviour Management Policy and Procedures
The inspector makes sure that the agency uses acceptable behaviour management practices.
- Records
Records
Private-home day care agencies must keep records of inspections of providers' homes, children's emergency information, children's immunizations, attendance, finances and any incidents in the program.
- Staff Qualifications and Numbers
Staff Qualifications and Numbers
Private-home day care agencies must employ qualified staff (home visitors) to support and monitor child care providers. Each home visitor can monitor up to 25 homes.
- Children Enrolled
Children Enrolled
Providers associated with a licensed private-home day care agency can care for up to five children under the age of 10, including up to two children under the age of two, and up to three children under the age of three.
- Program
Program
All private-home day care agencies must have a written program statement that includes its program philosophy, fees and other administrative details.
Private-home day care agency providers are not licensed directly. Instead, the ministry licenses private-home day care agencies. Licensed private-home day care agencies then contract individual caregivers who use their own homes to look after children. Caregivers are screened, approved and monitored by home visitors. These home visitors work for the home child care agency.
Completing the inspection checklist
The licensing inspector will complete a checklist that details each licensing standard. For each standard or requirement, the inspector will note if the program is in compliance on the date of inspection or not in compliance on the date of inspection.
After the inspection, the inspector reviews the checklist with the operator or supervisor and discusses any standards or requirements that the program did not meet. The inspector gives the operator up to 10 days to meet the requirements. The inspector updates the licensing report to note which requirements were met before the licence was issued.
A child care operator will be issued a regular licence once all requirements are met. A regular licence may be issued for a period of up to one year. Visit the licensed child care finder to see recent licensing inspections for local child care programs.
A provisional licence is issued when a child care program has not met all the licensing requirements of the Day Nurseries Act. When this happens, the program may be given a short period of time to meet the licensing requirements. A provisional licence does not mean that the children are unsafe or that the program is about to close.
If, at any time, an inspection shows that there may be a threat to a child's health, safety or welfare, the ministry will take immediate steps to protect the well-being of the children in care. If a child's well-being is in danger, the ministry would be required to contact a Child Protection Agency. For an annual inspection, the licensing inspection summary would inspect based on building and accommodation; equipment and furnishings; health and medical; terms and condition; nutrition; playground; policies and procedures; program; records and staff.
The Ministry of Education can suspend a program's licence if there is a threat to the health, safety or welfare of the children. When this happens, the program must remain closed and cannot operate until the operator complies with the "Notice of Direction" from the ministry.
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