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The importance of a homelike atmosphere and child-centred activities are central to this care.

Home Child Care

Home Child Care, sometimes known as Family Child Care, offers a viable option to families through the provision of safe, reliable, high quality care for children. It can involve using an entire home; at other times, only part of a home is used. 

The unique characteristics of the physical environment in Family Child Care:

  • Physical space – home setting, neighbourhood/community involvement
  • Caregiver consistency throughout day
  • Prevalence of mixed-age groups
  • Intensity and duration of provider/parent relationship

Unique aspects of quality Home Child Care:

  • It looks and acts like a home
  • Purposeful use of home and local neighbourhood as learning opportunities
  • Purposeful use of the mixed-age group as a learning opportunity
  • Provider is parenting role model and source of support and information for families
  • Provider successfully addresses the challenges of the work situation

HOME CHILD CARE Articles

risky-play-ece-webinar
Webinar

Risky Play

Watch the free replay now! Learn strategies in this webinar from outdoor play experts to help think through the risks and benefits involved in outdoor play. Gain confidence in your ability to navigate risky play in your programs.

Read More »

Home Child Care Training Materials

So you want to care for other people’s children in your home?
Download this free e-book to find out what’s involved and where to start.

The Family Child Care Training Program

The Family Child Care Training Program is intended for individuals who are currently, or who are interested in becoming, providers of family child care. They can be purchased in print format.

The Family Child Care Training Program consists of three levels:

Level One

An introductory level and is primarily intended for those who have little, or no, previous training related to family child care. It is also intended for trained and experienced caregivers who would like the opportunity to review and reinforce their knowledge and to share their experiences with others.

The Family Child Care Training Program: Level one

Purchase Through e-store

Level Two

An intermediate level and is primarily intended for those who have participated in an introductory level training program (eg. Level One of the Family Child Care Training Program) and/or have had experiences as caregivers and participated in some training and professional development opportunities.

The Family Child Care Training Program: Level two

Purchase Through e-store

Level Three

An advanced level and is primarily intended for those who have participated in an introductory and intermediate level of the training program (eg. Level One – Introductory Level and Level Two – Intermediate Level of the Family Child Care Training Program) and have had experiences as caregivers and participated in some training and professional development opportunities. Level 3 contains units with information that will give the family child care provider a more global perspective of child care in general.

The Family Child Care Training Program: Level Three

Purchase Through e-store

Train-the-Trainer Guide

Designed to assist facilitators to prepare and deliver the Family Child Care Training Program. It provides information useful to both the experienced facilitator and those new to the world of adult education. Why produce a “Train the Trainer” Guide? Many different people in different settings need to be involved in order to reach all caregivers. Training is not about paper resources, but about relationships. Family Child Care Providers are adult learners and require training, which answers the needs of adult learners.

Train-the-Trainer Guide

Purchase Through e-store

Here are some Additional Resources About Home Child Care

1. Building Partnerships with Families
Children feel more secure in their child care setting when they see their family members and their child care practitioner in a respectful relationship. Download the copy here.

2. Preventative Steps When Caring for Children in Your Home
Caregivers who try these preventative steps are less likely to leave themselves open to accusations of child abuse.
Download the copy here.

 

Provincial & Territorial Information

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Supporter membership rate $45 CAD. Join now!

Annual Membership rate $0 CAD with the code from your local affiliate. Join now!

Anyone working in licensed child care has to apply for certification. You will find certification information for your province or territory on our child care certification page.

With your resume and cover letter ready (we’ll provide guides for this soon), contact child care centres and introduce yourself! You can call, email, or even message them on social media. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get a reply. Try again a few days later to give them your resume in person. Remember that due to safety reasons you need to call first. Tell them you live in their area, and that you’re looking for a position.

On our provincial and territorial map we link to child care associations in your area. Follow the link to your association and join today. The associations provide valuable information to anyone starting out in their career. Even experienced ECEs can benefit. You’ll also enjoy valuable member benefits like discounts, meet other ECEs, and become a part of the child care movement in Canada.


If you join your provincial or territorial affiliate, you’re automatically also a member of the CCCF.

All licensed and regulated quality child care programs in Canada require these for the safety and security of children and families.

If you’re just starting out:

  1. Get certified!
  2. Find the requirements for your province or territory
  3. Write your resume and begin your job search. We’ll provide tips on this soon. 
  4. Get your vulnerable sector check and first aid training

Join our Facebook Group and meet other ECEs who may be able to answer your questions

Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) are incredible professionals that have rewarding, important and demanding careers. They work with young children (and their families), ages 0-12, nurturing and educating them, observing and planning for their growth and development while ensuring that they are healthy. They create interactive and dynamic learning environments where children develop social skills, develop cognitive skills and foster lifelong learning. ECEs work in child care centres, classrooms, home child cares, preschool, and parent drop-in programs. You do not need a teaching degree to be an ECE, but you do need your ECE diploma.

Annual Membership rate $90 CAD.
Join now!

Annual Membership rate $65 CAD.
Join now!

Annual Membership rate $65 CAD.
Join now!

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