What to look for when selecting a dayhome

When starting a dayhome the agency that you choose is crucial to the success of your new venture. At The Child Day Homes, we do everything in our power to ensure that our educators are set up for success. We provide business support, and administrative support and put you in touch with experienced consultants so that they can help guide you forward. By choosing to open a dayhome with us you gain the following benefits.

When looking at a dayhome you must consider

1. Meals & Snacks

Each Dayhome educator has the freedom to choose whether or not they provide meals and snacks. Typically there is a difference in the fees of those educators however if your family values the children getting meals from the educator during their time under care then that is something you must keep in mind when looking for day homes.

2. Playground Area

Each program is located within the Educator's home and there is a vast difference in the size of the play area, equipment in the play area and access to playgrounds within the neighborhood. All day homes must meet regulations in regards to the play area but there is a lot of flexibility with what each playground will end up being. You know your child best and when choosing a day home you should consider the play area that each dayhome has to offer.

3. Fees

The agency does not dictate the fees that each educator chooses to set. Each educator chooses their fees based on the market in their neighborhood. The services offered by the educator also play a part in the fees and when looking for a dayhome you should make sure that the fees are something that works for you.

4. The programming philosophy

However, different educators are free to use different early childhood education policies such as Reggio Emilio or others of that kind. At your initial visit with the educator, ask them what their philosophies are and how they align with you.

5. The Place of care

Each day home meets the legislation as set out by the government of Alberta however parents have different preferences in terms of the place of care. Things like the size of the roomand the amount of natural light and the use of technology are all different in each dayhome. This is an important factor to consider when choosing a dayhome for your family.

6. Proximity to home & Work

One of the best parts about day homes is that they are a community-based childcare solution. This means that more often than not there will be a dayhome very close to your residence. That does not mean however that you have to only go with the closest dayhome to you but the commute and how it fits into your daily routine are important to keep in mind when making the decision.

FAQ for Parents

How do licensed day homes differ from private babysitters?

Dayhomes are very different as compared to regular day care centers or preschools. We often get many questions from parents and more often than not they're very similar. Please have a look below on commonly asked questions so see if it can answer any questions that you might have about sending your kids to a dayhome.

How many kids can a day home educator have under care at one time?

According to the dayhome standards of Alberta an educator is allowed to have six kids under the age of 13 not including their own under care at one time. In addition to that an educator can only have a maximum of two kids under the age of 2 and a maximum of 3 kids under the age of 3.

How much does it cost?

Each day is different in terms of their fees as the Educators are free to set fees. factors like if the educator provides food, diapers or if there is some additional programming influences pricing and it varies across the agency. If you would like to get a specific price, reach out to us and we could prepare a few options.

How do you screen dayhome Educators?

We go through a very thorough testing procedure to make sure that the educator is qualified to provide care. Our thorough checklist includes criminal record checks, medical references, personal references and our childcare consultant assesses each dayhome site to ensure that it has adequate materials and equipment to facilitate a child's development.

How do you monitor Dayhomes?

With each day home we weekly monitor their attendance, sick logs and such through our internal systems. In addition to that our consultant visits each home at least once per month and we do quarterly safety checks to ensure that each day home is keeping up to our standards.

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What Parents Say

Kevin Hardson
Parent

 My kids day home teacher is amazing and a pleasure to deal with.

Dorean Elvis
Educator

My coordinator helps me with any questions I may have and has helped me get a lot of my registered children.

Caryl Kimberley
Educator

Working with The Child Dayhomes was a game changer. They offer great support with advertising and are very professional in all their dealings.

Michayla School
Parent

My kids attend one of their dayhomes and they absolutely love it. Everyday I hear about all sorts of different and creative activities that they partake in.

Deeann Abels
Parent

My kids went to a different dayhome before that was with another agency. The Child Dayhomes are a night and day difference when compared to them. All my communication and paperwork is handled through their portal and makes it very easy for me to organize everything.