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The Day Nurseries Act and the
Self-Regulated Caregiver
The number of children that you may care for is determined by the Province of Ontario’s Day Nurseries Act. Under the Day Nurseries Act, you may provide care for up to five children ten years of age and under per household, no matter how many adults are involved in providing the care. This does not prevent you from providing care for more than five children if some of them are part time. However, no more than five daycare children may be on the premises or in your care at the same time. Once a child has his/her tenth birthday, he/she is no longer included in the total of five daycare children. Your children, regardless of their age, are not counted in the total of five children.
Police Record Checks are Mandatory!!!
By Doreen Cowin
For many years CCPRN has recommended that all caregivers go to the Police Station and have a “Criminal Reference Check” completed prior to opening up a home daycare (to show to perspective daycare parents). This information is slightly incorrect.
The correct term is “Police Record Check”. Also, it is not something we should be recommending, but something that is mandatory. Bill C-7 was passed in 1999. According to this bill everyone working with children (“the vulnerable sector”) must have a Police Record Check prior to starting their work. (Yes, this includes home child care providers). Husbands and children 18 or over who are regularly in the daycare home should also have a Police Record Check completed prior to the opening of the home daycare. If you or your husband/children have not had one completed please do so. The forms are on the website: HYPERLINK "http://www.ottawapolice.ca" www.ottawapolice.ca . From there go to “Support Units” and then to “Record Checks”. You can also just tear out the next page and fill it out and bring it in to the Police Station.
Here is the information/description as found on the website:
CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK (provided immediately and is not valid for service with the vulnerable sector of the population) - $25.00;
POLICE RECORD CHECK for persons seeking EMPLOYMENT to serve the vulnerable sector of the population - $10.00;
POLICE RECORD CHECK for persons seeking VOLUNTEER roles primarily to serve the vulnerable sector of the population - free service;
**NOTE: You must possess a letter from the volunteer organization stating that you are seeking a Police Records Check for the purposes of volunteering. **
NON-RESIDENT SURCHARGE for persons who do not reside in Ottawa - $10.00;
EXPRESS SURCHARGE "while-you-wait" ONLY available on weekdays (except holidays) between 07:30 and 15:00 hrs at 474 Elgin Street; and ONLY available for persons seeking a Police Record Check who have been residents of Ottawa for the past five (5) years - $25.00.
You must produce one (1) piece of PHOTO and one (1) piece of NON-PHOTO identification to receive your Record Check.
WE ACCEPT EXACT CHANGE OR CHEQUES ONLY
Estimated turn around time for a Police Record Check is 15 business days unless you have paid the Express Surcharge.
Save time! Download the forms and complete them before arriving in person to have your Record Check completed.”
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Please note that the Express Surcharge of $25.00 is on top of the original $10.00 (i.e. it would cost $35.00). The remaining question is how often you should have a new Police Record Check completed. This was discussed at great length at a meeting of the Home Child Care Network and the Ottawa Police. It was suggested that every year or two was a reasonable time frame (with every year being preferable but every two years being more practical).
Please take the time to have a new Police Record Check completed for yourself and for anyone over 18 who is on-site on a regular basis. It shows your professionalism. It also shows that you care about the safety of your daycare children and the peace of mind of your daycare parents.
Please feel free to call me for further information – Doreen Cowin, 749-5211 ext 23 |
