Government introduced amendments to the Day Care Act today, Sept. 11, to ensure families continue to have access to safe and high-quality care in family home child care programs.
The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development will now have increased regulatory authority for family home child care programs.
“Families want access to quality early childhood education opportunities,” said Zach Churchill, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development. “We are making some small, but important changes to the act, that will increase the accountability of agencies that regulate family home child care programs.”
The amendments will:
— give the department more authority over inspections conducted by family home daycare agencies
— change the title of the act from the Day Care Act to the Early Learning and Child Care Act
— remove or revise outdated language, terms and definitions
Family home child care agencies provide support, oversight and accountability to approved family home child care providers.
Regulated family home child care is offered by individuals who are approved under a licensed family home child care agency. Approved family home child care providers can provide care for up to seven children of mixed ages, or nine children if they are all school-age.
Approved family home child care providers must follow provincial regulations and are regularly monitored and inspected.
Source: Release