Canadian laws say that children under the age of 12 cannot be left alone at home or care for younger children. It is important that you plan ahead for child care, as many options require advance registration and may already have a waiting list.

The Ontario Ministry of Education offers instructions to help you find the child care option that is best for you and your child(ren). The Ministry also provides questions to ask child care providers, and information on what to look for in child care service.

Parents in Leeds & Grenville have many options for child care services. Brief descriptions of child care options are listed below.

Formal (Licensed) Child Care

Anyone who cares for more than five unrelated children under the age of 10 years has to be licensed, by law, in Ontario. Licensed caregivers must meet certain provincial health, safety and caregiver training standards. This type of child care includes licensed child care centres, home-based licensed programs, and before and after school programs.

A list of licensed child care programs in Leeds & Grenville is available online.

Informal (Unlicensed/Independent) Home Care

Private arrangements between parents and a caregiver would be considered unlicensed childcare. This group of caregivers is not regulated. That means they do not have to meet provincial health, safety, and caregiver training standards.

Examples of this kind of child care providers are babysitters, family members, and live-in caregivers (or, nannies).

To find unlicensed child care providers in your area, you can:

• Ask your neighbours
• Check local newspaper advertisements and classified sections
• Search using an internet search engine
• Contact the Ontario Early Years Centres in Leeds & Grenville

Subsidized Child Care

Child care can become quite expensive. But there are social programs in place that can provide help you pay for child care:

• Ontario’s Child Care Subsidy Program helps families pay for child care. The Children’s Services Department of the United Counties of Leeds & Grenville manages and determines eligibility for Child Care Fee Subsidy program in the region.
• The Ontario Child Care Supplement for Working Families is a tax-free monthly payment that helps families pay for the costs of raising children under 7 years of age.
• The Government of Canada’s Universal Child Care Benefit helps Canadian families pay for child care costs. It gives families $100 each month for each child under the age of 6.
• The Canada Child Tax Benefit is a tax-free monthly payment. It helps families pay for the costs of raising children under the age of 18.