Choosing a Day Home
Families needs are all unique when it comes to finding child care. At times, this decision can become overwhelming. Working with our agency will provide you the guidance to make this decision easier. Here are a few things to consider when looking into licensed early learning and care in day homes:
Choosing Child Care
The Government of Alberta provides a resource guide to support families in choosing licensed child care in Alberta.
Family day home educators are recruited and trained by licensed family day home agencies to offer child care in their own home. Family day home educators can offer child care for up to 6 children not including their own.
Licensed agencies help by offering family day home educators a network for training, resources and assistance. Agencies provide assurance to parents using family day homes by monitoring each program to ensure they are meeting health, safety and program quality standards for children in their care.
Licensed family day home agencies monitor all family day home program educators under their agency at least 6 times per year with both scheduled and unscheduled visits.
Child Care Look Up Tool
The Government of Alberta provides the Child Care Look Up Tool, which provides information on licensed programs history of compliance.
Subsidy
Going through a licensed agency, you may be eligible for child care subsidy. You can check out the Government of Alberta child care subsidy information and subsidy estimator here. The Government of Alberta increased the rates of subsidy in August 2020.
First Steps with our Agency
You may call our agency at 403.328.5553, email, or fill out the contact form on our website.
The Day Home Coordinator will work with you to determine which of our educators are available to meet your family needs and offer you applicable Provider Profiles.
Meeting the Educator
You will then meet each individual who lives in the home, pets, and see all areas of the approved learning environment; both indoors and outdoors. This will provide you an opportunity to:
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Discuss the educator's pedagogy, beliefs and values within their program and how they support children as mighty learners and citizens. Educators may show you the Storypark app to show learning history within their program, emergent curriculum, menu planning, communication tools, and learning stories.
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Communicate what kind of meals and snacks will be provided, allergies, and dietary needs.
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Discuss if your educator transports for off-site activities and/or school transportation, what this may look like within their program and daily schedule.
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Talk with the educator about daily indoor and outdoor activities and where children will spend most of their day.
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Communicate napping or quiet time needs within the day.
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Inquire about educator vacations, personal time, and back up care.
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Ask any questions you may have about the educator and their day home
Next Steps
After meeting; if it is a right fit for your family and the educator please contact the agency by telephone or email and we can proceed with the registration process.