PEMBROKE — The County of Renfrew has been granted a license from the Ministry of Education to operate a home child care agency under the name of County of Renfrew Licensed Home Child Care.
The decision to apply was made to address the loss of potential childcare spaces for 18 children in Renfrew County. There were two other home child care agencies that were licensed to provide this service within the County of Renfrew; however one of those agencies had indicated to the County that it would be closing its program as of January 2017. The County and that agency worked together to obtain a partnership agreement with an alternate agency in Renfrew County to provide a licensed family home service. However, no other licensed child care agency expressed an interest in filling this gap resulting in the risk of 18 children ending up without a licensed child care spots.
The County of Renfrew Child Services Division will be providing the oversight of up to five Licensed Child Care homes in rural Renfrew County for 2017. The County will employ a Licensed Home Visitor to check that the home is safe for children before and after children are enrolled. Licensed Home Visitors also ensure caregivers are following the provincial requirements and the agency’s policies and procedures.
Chair of the County of Renfrew Social Services Committee, Councillor Debbie Robinson said, “The County is very pleased to have received approval from the Ministry of Education to create this home child care agency. This initiative will provide children access to affordable, quality licensed childcare and help to give them the best start in life while supporting families here in our County.”
The County of Renfrew Licensed Home Child Care Agency will approve up to five home child care locations annually, enter into contractual agreements with operating homes, provide oversight and inspections of home child care locations in operation, close home child care locations not meeting legislative or policy requirements, approve placement of children in these homes, be able to provide fee subsidy for parents, and be able to support children with special needs. The County of Renfrew Licensed Home Child Care Agency will not, provide direct child care, nor will it operate a child care facility.
Licensed home child care differs from licensed child care centres in that it is located in a private-home that is screened, monitored and approved by a licensed home child care agency. The licensed home child care agency is approved by the Ministry of Education and must meet specific provincial standards in order to operate.
