Family Child Care

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What is a family child care home?

Family child care home is a type of child care service that provides an activity or other arrangement of temporary care or supervision of a child in a child care service provider’s home. It may be regulated or unregulated.

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What is regulated family child care?

Regulated family child care is a child care service that is required to hold a child care licence or an approval certificate from a licensed agency and is monitored.

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Who can start a regulated family child care home?

Anyone who has a clean certificate of conduct with a clear vulnerable sector check*, and whose home meets appropriate legislative standards, can open a regulated family home child care service.

*Note: this requirement applies to all residents of the home over 16 years of age.

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How do I know if my home meets the right standards?

Regional staff with the Department of Education or Family and Child Care Connections can conduct an inspection of your home and let you know if the home is suitable or if any upgrades are required. There is start-up grant funding available to either fully or partially cover the cost of upgrades, up to $15,000 with an escalating service commitment.

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How is family child care regulated?

Family child care is regulated in two ways:

  • Individually licensed by a regional Early Learning and Child Development Division of the Department of Education; or
  • Approved under the licence of a Family Child Care Agency.

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How is regulated family child care monitored?

Regional staff from the Early Learning and Child Development Division regularly visit family homes that holds a licence. Similarly, family child care agency staff regularly visit family homes that holds an approval certificate which was issued by a licensed agency. These visits help to ensure legislation and policy are met and support licensees and approved child care service providers to exceed these standards. All regulated child care services must follow the Child Care Act, Regulations, and the associated Policy and Standards.

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How many children can participate in a regulated family child care home?

The number of children who can participate in a regulated family home child care service at one time is determined by the:

  • Ages of the children;
  • Needs of the children
  • Physical configuration of the family home;
  • Program of the child care service;
  • Number of and reason for any violation orders or non-compliance orders previously issued in relation to the child care service provider, child care service or facility; and

The child care service providers own children who are in the infant, toddler or preschool age range. Children in these age ranges must be counted towards the number of children who are participating in the child care service.  However, up to two of the child care service provider’s own children in the younger or older school age range can be exempt from being counted towards the number of children participating in the child care service.

For the ages of the children, the following limits apply regardless of any other factors:

  • No more than three (3) children when those children are in the infant age range (0-2 years):
  • No more than five (5) children when two (2) are infant age and three (3) are toddler range (1.5 – 3 years):
  • No more than six (6) children when two (2) are infant age and two (2) are toddler age:
  • No more than seven (7) children when two (2) are toddler age and none are infants: and
  • Up to two (2) of a providers own children who are currently attending school are not included in these limits.

 

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What are the benefits of becoming a regulated family child care service provider?

A regulated family child care provider can:

  • Care for up to 7 children (depending upon the age ranges) in their own home;
  • Have up to two of the child care service provider’s own children in the younger or older school age range be exempt from being counted towards the number of children participating in the child care service;
  • Access to financial supports;
  • Access support from regional Early Learning and Child Development staff or monitors (home visitors) from a licensed family child care agency;
  • Participate in networking opportunities with other family child care service providers; and
  • Receive training specific to family home child care and other professional learning opportunities at little or no cost.

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What financial supports are available to regulated family child care service providers?

Family Child Care Capacity Grant (increased in 2022)

  • Provides funding for family home child care providers to assist with the costs associated with start-up and renovation expenses.
  • Funding can be used to purchase quality materials and equipment to meet health and safety requirement (e.g. egress windows, fire suppression systems) as well as developmentally appropriate materials and equipment to deliver an inclusive quality program.
  • Funding ranges from $7,500 to $15,000, with an escalating service commitment (i.e. a commitment to operate for period of time that will make the grant non-repayable).

Equipment Grant

  • All regulated family child care providers are eligible to receive an equipment grant to help offset the costs of equipment and play materials for their family child care home.

Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Supplement

  • Provides an income supplement directly to eligible Early Childhood Educators (certified Level I or higher) ranging from $12,900 to $16,900 per year depending on eligibility. The range is based on level of qualifications and the job held in regulated child care.
  • As of Jan 1 2023 the wage supplement will be included in the wages paid to ECEs, to coincide with the wage grid increases. With these changes it is expected that many ECEs will receive a wage increase that reflects their important work and which will help with recruitment and retention. For example, Level II ECEs are expected to receive a combined wage in the $25-26 per hour range.
  • For more information on the ELCC Supplement go to: https://www.gov.nl.ca/education/childcare/supplement/

Inclusion Supports Program

  • Provides assistance to regulated child care services to ensure children with exceptionalities (diagnosed or undiagnosed) can participate fully in a regular program.
  • All regulated services can access grant funding when recommended by a Regional Inclusion Consultant that can support the hiring of replacement staff, wage and benefits funding for additional caregivers and professional learning.

Quality Enhancement Grant

  • All child care services participating in the Operating Grant Program have access to Quality Enhancement Grants to support a range of quality enhancements in their service, in consultation with program consultants, to cover professional learning, program design enhancement, technology and materials and equipment, furniture and material upgrades.

What financial benefits are available for families?

Operating Grant Program (OGP)

  • Helps to address the affordability of child care services for families with young children throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.
  • The Early Learning and Child Development Division of the Department of Education provides an operational grant to child care services participating in the $10/day child care program.
  • This operational grant is a range – all regulated services are eligible for at least the base rates and services that demonstrate that their operational expenses are higher due to considerations such as their location, higher staffing costs, etc. may be eligible for an enhanced rate up to the maximum amount as determined by policy.

Child Care Subsidy

  • An income tested program designed to assist families with the cost of child care fees at regulated child care services.
  • The Child Care Subsidy Program enables eligible families to access regulated child care services by eliminating or minimizing cost within available resources.
  • The family net income threshold for full Child Care Subsidy is $42,000 – $72,000 per year, based on the number of children in child care.
  • Eligible families who attend a child care service participating in the Operating Grant Program receive free child care in those services.

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What is the process to become licensed or approved?

Your first step to become a licensed or approved family home child care service is to contact the regional contact with the Department of Education or the Family Child Care Agency in your area:

Early Learning and Child Development Regional Offices

Family and Child Care Connections (Child Care Agency)

  • Eastern Region: 709-754-7090 or ebaker@fccnl.ca
  • Western Region: 709-388-0265
  • Coming Soon – Central and Labrador

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What is unregulated family child care?

Unregulated family child care is a child care service operated in a family home that is not monitored or supported by the regional Early Learning and Child Development Division of the Department of Education or by a licensed Family Child Care Agency.

A family home child care service may be exempt from holding a licence or approval certificate where the following apply:

  1. The child care service is offered for less than 10 hours per week;
  2. The child care service provider has a maximum of four children under age 13 and no more than two of these children are under age two; or
  3. The child care service provider has a maximum of three children where all of the children are two years old or younger.

Also, the child care service provider’s own children must be counted toward the number of children participating in the child care service.

 

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