Child Care

Both parents work outside the home in many Ontario families. Decisions about how your children will be cared for are important. Parents want to leave for work each day feeling confident their children are safe and happy.

Relatives, friends, neighbours, or nannies can provide informal or unlicensed childcare. This may take place in your home or in someone else's. Or you can employ a private-home day care agency. For a fee, a licensed caregiver will come to your home each day to care for your children.

Licensed child care or day care centres are facilities where children from different families are cared for by qualified staff. These centres offer balanced programs and activities for infants, toddlers, and pre-school and school-age children. It is a good idea to visit the centre you are considering, meet the staff, ask questions, and watch what is happening before making a decision.

You can find comprehensive information about child care programs, services and resources in your area at Familyinfo.ca. You'll also find information in newspaper ads, bulletin boards, the local office of the Ministry of Children and Youth Services, community information centres, child care resource centres, public libraries, churches, the human resources department at work, friends, neighbours, relatives, and co-workers.

Learn More:

• Familyinfo.ca
  
• What kind of child care services are available?
  
• Middlesex County Library's ServiceOntario Guide
  
• Middlesex London Health Unit
  
• Ministry of Children and Youth Services
  
• Ontario Child Care Supplement for Working Families
  - is a tax-free monthly payment to help with the costs of raising children under the age of seven
  
  
• Home Child Care Association of Ontario - promotes, develops and supports licensed home-based childcare services with legislated standards of quality and safety
  
  
• Child Care Ontario - provides support for parents to become effective consumers of child day care. It also provides support for those wanting to start their own day care business
  
  London Children's Connection - a family focused organization that provides child care in the London area including before and after school programs.