Choosing a child care centre in Brampton, Ontario is an important step in providing your child with a nurturing environment to learn and grow. Here are some things to know about choosing the right centre.
1. Learning happens in a child-care centre
Whether your child is in a family childcare program, in-home daycare, or in a center-based program, learning is a part of the picture. The key is to provide a supportive environment that allows your child to make progress toward his or her individual goals.
A learning centre is an excellent way to encourage children to explore their world while enhancing their cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development. The best way to accomplish this is to create a play-based early learning environment.
The most important part of this approach is to create a sense of belonging for your child. This is best achieved through group activities and one-on-one time with an educator. The key is to limit the number of children in the room to encourage more individual attention.
2. Fees
During the last election, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised his Liberal Party supporters a $10 a day child care deal. That promise was followed by the announcement of a five-year, $10.2 billion deal between Ontario and the federal government.
Although the Ontario deal will save families up to $2,200 a year on child care costs by April 1, 2022, the plan will not be fully implemented until December. It will also reduce licensed child care fees by 50 percent on average. In addition, child care fees will be further reduced by 10 percent on average in September 2025.
The Ontario deal also includes a parent rebate program. This program will offer rebates against fees to parents for eligible children. The rebates will be automatically issued beginning in May. Initially, the rebates will be applied retroactively to April 1.
There are two main types of child care services. One is provided by a for-profit operator, and the other is not. For-profit operators generally charge higher fees than not-for-profit operators, but the gap between the two has narrowed.
3. Opt-ins
The provincial government wants to see more operators from the for-profit sector opting in to the program, so it’s not surprising that the number of licensed child care centres has skyrocketed. It’s a good thing the government has given operators more leeway when it comes to costs and operational efficiencies. Despite the myriad of child care options available, a small percentage of operators aren’t seeing the results they deserve.
Getting more child care operators to sign on to the $10 a day child care program is no easy feat, but a recent spate of news reports indicates that the government is putting the pedal to the metal. The latest updates include a new government funding model that has more than doubled the amount of money child care providers will receive by the end of the year.
4. Health and safety requirements
Currently licensed child care centres in Brampton are required to meet health and safety requirements. The federal Child Care and Development Block Grant Act requires all child care providers to undergo training on how to operate child care in a safe and healthy manner. This training includes topics such as appropriate hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette, and proper handling of equipment. The Ontario government also has issued instructions to licensed child care providers to establish a COVID-19 immunization disclosure policy.
All child care providers are required to wear medical masks and N95 masks. N95 masks are available for purchase from the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services. These masks are not fit tested and are purchased on behalf of providers.
