EVERY CHILD IS
EXCEPTIONAL.

To start a licensed home childcare in Ontario, a childcare provider must partner with an agency that is licensed with the Ministry of Education. There are a number of childcare agencies that operate in Ontario, however not all offer the same support as Wee Watch.  The local Wee Watch agency can provide answers on what is required to deliver childcare from your home.  Providers are not required to be registered early childcare educators.  The agency will come to your home to determine if there is a play space that will meet the Ministry standards.  Potential providers simply need to have a love of children and a willingness to provide childcare from their home.  Providers will be required to complete a First Aid program and undergo training.

Choosing the right home childcare is a big decision and depends on what is important to you as a parent. Ensure that the home daycare agency you are looking at is licensed by the Ministry of Education.  All Wee Watch agencies are licensed, which means parents have peace of mind knowing the homes meet all regulations.  You may also want to know if the provider and agency are delivering a quality program as not all licensed agencies are the same.  If educational curriculum is important to you, Wee Watch is one of the only agencies to have an educational program in their homes.  Additionally, if safety is important, our RECE home visitors do monthly visits to each home (this is 4x the standard that is required by regulations).  If cost is important, ONLY licensed agencies can provide parents with access to the CWELCC program offering reduced childcare fees to parents in Ontario.  Our Blog on this topic has more information

There a numerous licensing regulations for home daycare providers.  Licensed agencies and the providers that partner with them must meet all standards within the Early Years and Childcare Act (CCEYA, 2014).  These regulations outline training, documentation, sanitary, nutritional and safety standards for operating a daycare within a private home in Ontario.  All agencies are licensed annually by the Ministry of Education.

There are no required training programs for home childcare providers in Ontario.  Some providers do have an Early Childcare Education diploma or certificate.  At Wee Watch we ensure that our providers are well trained and supported by our childcare experts.  Our providers participate in 10 hours of professional development every year.

Not all home daycare providers are equal – look for agencies that are licensed by the Ministry of Education.  You also want to ensure that the agency provides screening and training of the childcare providers they partner with.  Look for agencies that have passed their annual licensing (this information is available online).  Ask if your provider has an educational curriculum and programming that the children will engage in.  Also ask if the providers are supported by a team of experts.  Our Blog on this topic has more information

There are numerous safety standards that licensed home childcare providers must adhere to, including how and how often they clean the play areas, toys and equipment. There are requirements about the home environment that must be met, for example all homes must be completely smoke free environments.  There are regulations on how medicine, food and dangerous items are stored and how children access certain areas (ie no pool access).  There are also safety rules regarding pick-up and drop-off of children.

Your local municipal office can provide information on childcare subsidy in Ontario.  All regions have a subsidy program and parents qualify for subsidy based on income.  Most recently, the government of Ontario signed on to the Canada Wide Early Learning and Childcare System (CWELCC) offering parents reduced childcare rates.  There is no requirement to ‘’qualify’ for this type of childcare subsidy.  Children under 5 qualify as long as parents can find them a space in a licensed childcare program that is approved.  All Wee Watch agencies are participating in CWELCC.  As of 2024, childcare rates were reduced by 52%, in January of 2025, rates will reduce to a max of $22/day for parents.  Note: there is very high demand for spaces