IN-HOME CHILD CARE
IN ALBERTA
Did you know that the majority of parents in Alberta utilize in-home child care arrangements to meet their child care needs? Whether a facility based space is unavailable in your community or an in-home child care arrangement better suits your lifestyle, you may have found yourself looking into in-home child care in your area. And not knowing what to look for within in-home child care, or how to ensure you’re choosing a quality child care program may have you feeling a bit anxious or uncertain. Is in-home child care safe? What does quality in-home child care look like? How do I find a quality dayhome program? These questions can make the process of looking for child care feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be.
Embolden PDC is here to help you navigate the world of IN-HOME child care.
Rest assured that WITH THE MAJORITY OF CHILD CARE ARRANGEMENTS FALLING WITHIN IN-HOME CHILD CARE, many parents rely on QUALITY in-home child care to meet their child care needs.
YOUR ROLE AS A PARENT
There are some major differences between the 2 types of in-home child care arrangements in Alberta – with the biggest difference being the level of government monitoring between the two. Approved family dayhomes are monitored by the Government of Alberta while private dayhomes are not. However, the level of care that you receive from your dayhome program can be incredibly similar – as long as you have taken the time and put in the effort to choose a quality in-home child care program.
Embolden PDC has a variety of resources available to help parents understand the differences between the two types of in-home child care programs and what to look for to ensure you’re choosing the right program for your child and your family.
In Alberta, parents have a wide range of choice when selecting the child care option that best fits their family situation.
FINDING A DAYHOME PROGRAM
Sometimes finding a quality in-home child care program can feel overwhelming. There are so many options out there and it’s difficult to know which dayhomes to explore and which ones to avoid. The Embolden PDC Directory helps narrow down your search by connecting you with dayhome professionals who are committed to quality and safety in their programs. We list all Embolden PDC members within our child care directory but in order to unlock a clickable profile our members must submit their supporting documents and become verified members of the Embolden Private Dayhome Community.
CHOOSING A DAYHOME
So how do you ensure that you are choosing a quality in-home child care arrangement? As a parent, you have a lot of power in the choices you make for your family and for your children. And this includes choosing a child care program that is a safe and nurturing environment for your children. You might find it helpful to sit down and determine the criteria and standards that you feel your dayhome professional should meet and definitely take your time in choosing the program that is best for you.
Not sure where to start? Download our In-Home Child Care Cheat Sheet.
INTERVIEWING DAYHOME PROFESSIONALS
Once you’ve found some dayhomes that meet your requirements and criteria, it’s time to start interviewing. During the interview you’ll get a good feel for the dayhome professional and whether or not their program would be a good fit for your child. Not every dayhome you interview is going to be the best fit and that’s ok! The important thing to remember is that your dayhome professional is an expert in dayhome interviews and determining the best fit for their dayhome dynamic. You can check out our free Parent Guide “Navigating In-Home Child Care” for some tips and tricks for interviewing – including some thought provoking questions that can help you get to know your provider.
MAINTAINING A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR DAYHOME PROFESSIONAL
Once you’ve chosen the perfect dayhome for your family, the work isn’t over! As a parent utilizing in-home childcare, you have an incredible opportunity to help ensure the long term safety of your children while in that providers care. This means that you should strive to establish a strong relationship with your dayhome professional – including being appropriately involved in your children’s care. Maintaining a strong relationship with your dayhome professional will help to ensure that your provider remains supported and accountable as they care for your children.
Maintaining open communication with your provider will help you to identify any concerns or issues before they become a risk.
REPORTING INCIDENTS
Recently, the Government of Alberta passed new legislation to protect children in all types of child care. Effective February 1, 2021 the Alberta government can investigate complaints about all in-home child care providers (including unlicensed) when there is reason to believe that:
- a person is providing care for more than 6 children (not including their own), or
- an imminent threat to the health, safety, or welfare of any children to whom the person is offering or providing care exists.
If either of these is confirmed, Children’s Services will issue and enforce a stop order. In this situation, parents of the children in the in-home child care program will be notified of the stop order.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
childcare directory
Embolden PDC is home to Alberta's first and only verified private childcare directory. Narrow your search to private dayhomes who are committed to going above and beyond the minimum standards in Alberta.
facebook page
Check out our Facebook Page to stay up to date on all the new and exciting things happening in the Embolden Private Dayhome Community.
Get the guide
In need of private childcare, but not sure where to start? Grab our free guide! We'll go over all the in's and out's of private childcare and how you can protect yourself and your children when utilizing private childcare in Alberta.
Our Standards
Embolden PDC Members are collectively committed to going above and beyond the minimum standards for private care in Alberta. Learn our standards here.