Starting a Child Day Care Centre

This document is a guide prepared by the Canada-Saskatchewan Business Service Centre and is intended to provide you with general information and suggested resources to assist you in researching your project. The extent to which this information will apply to you is dependent upon the circumstances related to your project.

For further information on individual topics identified herein, contact the respective governing body or the Canada-Saskatchewan Business Service Centre . Because this document is only meant as a guide, the Business Service Centre will not accept responsibility for business decisions made based on the information provided.

Before proceeding, reference should be made to the Business Start-up Info-Guide, which covers the basic steps involved in establishing a new business in Saskatchewan; as well as the document titled A Current Index of Business Fact Sheets .These fact sheets cover a wide variety of business topics. Be sure and also request the Sources of Information and Required Licenses for your area or view these on our Business Fact Sheets  Web site.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Industry Overview
• Licenses and Regulations
• Managing Your Operation
• Associations and Contacts
• Education and Training
• Resources
• Recommended Internet Web Site

INDUSTRY OVERVIEW

Good quality child care services provide a safe, healthy environment and support the physical, emotional, social and intellectual development of children. When looking for good quality child care services for your child, you should identify your needs, your priorities for child care and the needs of your child.

Licensed Child Care Service
The Child Day Care Division licenses child care facilities in order to help protect the health, safety, and well being of children. The Child Day Care Division enforces minimum standards with the assistance of child care centre staff, home providers, community child care organizations, and experts in areas such as child development, early childhood education, fire safety, health, and sanitation.

Licensed child care facilities are responsible for meeting minimum standards. Many child care programs exceed these requirements. Licensing does not control child care fees, fee collection policies, or the kind of developmental program your child care facility offers. Each facility has its own special personality and approach to educating and caring for children. Parents choose the kind of program that best meets the needs of their child and family.

Child Care
Child care is a service for the benefit of children, families and society as a whole, designed to supplement daily parental care. Licensed child care includes child care centres and family child care homes. A family child care home is a facility operated in a caregiver's private home. Caregivers set their fees and parents pay them directly to the caregiver. Legislation specifies the number of children of different ages who may be cared for and the standards that a home must meet.

As a family child care home provider, your contribution to the future by helping children get off to a good start in life is valued and appreciated. The Child Day Care Division of Saskatchewan Community Resources and Employment is available to assist you in your role. The following suggestions, guidelines and regulations support the safety and well-being of the children receiving services from family child care home providers

SIC codes

Canadian 1980 standard industrial classification codes for various industries.

Sample SIC Codes:

• P8641 - Child Day Care and Nursery School Services

NAICS codes
A few years ago, the statistical bodies of Canada, the U.S. and Mexico got together to come up with a classification that was the same for all three countries, so that data collected in all three countries on a specific industry could be compared accurately across country boundaries. This system is called the "North American Industrial Classification System" or NAICS (pronounced "nakes").

Sample NAICS codes are:

• 624410 Child Day Care Centres

LICENSES AND REGULATIONS

One area of rules and regulations that all new businesses must comply with is that of licenses and regulations. When creating a business, the entrepreneur must contact the municipality involved, along with the provincial/territorial and federal governments.

Each municipal government has the authority to issue its own business licenses within its jurisdiction. Since there is no uniformity throughout the country regarding municipal licenses for businesses, you should consult with the appropriate local officials to determine whether your business will be affected by local regulations and licensing requirements. Businesses (including home-based businesses) must also meet the zoning by-laws that control property uses in their municipalities.

Examples of licenses and regulations that could apply to you when starting your business may include, but are not limited to:

The Child Day Care Division, Saskatchewan Social Services has the responsibility for licensing child care facilities. To apply for a license an application should include:

• The results of a community survey indicating the need for child care services in the community.
• A report from the local health officer on the sanitation, lighting, ventilation, general health and safety standards of the facility.
• A report from the Fire Commissioner or the Fire Commissioner's local assistant about the fire safety standards of the facility.
• A proposed operating budget for the year.
• Zoning information on the property where the facility is located.
• A Copy of the Certificate of Incorporation of the corporation or association and a copy of its bylaws.
• A detailed floor plan of the facility, showing the measurements of the facility and the location of any fixed equipment.

Health Regulations and Requirements
All child day care centres in Saskatchewan must be licensed by the Child Day Care Branch of Saskatchewan Community Resources and Employment. For more detailed information on developing a licensed facility, contact the Child Day Care regional office nearest you.  A Child Day Care consultant will be available to assist you.

Child Day Care Regional offices:
Meadow Lake 306-236-7692
Moose Jaw 306-694-3644
Prince Albert 306-953-2668
Regina 306-787-4980
Saskatoon 306-933-6071
Swift Current 306-778-8531
Weyburn 306-848-2497
Yorkton 306-786-5770

You can also view the " Guide to Developing a Child Day Care Centre ” Web site.  

What Legislation Governs Child Day Care Act?
The Child Day Care Act  defines child care services as:
"Services that are provided at the request of a parent of a child are provided for a child by a person other than a parent of the child, are provided for less than 24 hours per day, and have as their primary purpose the care and supervision of children who do not reside on the premises where the services are provided."

A Child Day Care Centre provides care for up to 90 children in a group setting. Most child day care centers in Saskatchewan provides services to an average of 40 children. A Centre provides services to children ranging in age from six weeks up to and including 12 years of age. The Saskatchewan Child Care Regulations spell out how many children of certain ages can be for at one time. A Centre may also, at the discretion of its board of directors, provide developmental services to children with physical, mental, emotional, developmental or language disabilities.

For a copy of the act contact Saskatchewan Community Resources and Employment (formally Social Services) or visit the Child Care Act  Web site. 

Other Requirements For Child Day Care Centre
Child Day Care Centres licensees must comply with municipal requirements including bylaws established by zoning authorities, fire safety requirements monitored by Fire Inspectors, and building standards as set out in the National Building Code.

For further information regarding obtaining a Child Day Care Centre license, please contact:
The Child Day Care Division
1920 Broad Street
Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 3V6
Telephone: 306-787-7467

Fire Safety
The Child Day Care Centre Regulations state that every potential licensee must have a fire inspection prior to the home being licensed, and every three years thereafter.

For further information regarding fire safety in personal care homes, call your local fire inspector or the Office of the Fire Commissioner in Regina at 306-787-3774 or Saskatoon at 306-933-5063.

Using Your Home for Day Care
If you run a day care in your home, you may be able to deduct business expenses from the income you report on your income tax return. This pamphlet explains whether you can claim expenses, what expenses you can claim, your responsibilities as an employer, and the importance of keeping good records.

To receive a copy of this pamphlet you can contact Canada Revenue Agency toll-free at 1-800-959-5525 or view the Using Your Home for Day Care publication on their Web site. 

MANAGING YOUR OPERATION

Insurance
Upon deciding to establish a Child Day Care Centre business, you should obtain the expertise of an insurance agent regarding insurance coverage for your business. If you own, rather than lease your place of business, you will need insurance coverage for your property. Also, regardless of property ownership, you will require insurance protection for furniture, fixtures and equipment.. Some of the other areas you should be concerned about are liability coverage against mishaps, damages or lawsuits resulting from business operations and business interruption insurance. The Child Day Care Centre Regulations state that the details of insurance coverage of the home, with respect to the possessions of the residents, must be included in the admission agreement.

ASSOCIATIONS AND CONTACTS

Associations
Membership is an option for those Child Day Care Centre owners that wish to belong to an association. The Association is in Saskatoon. To inquire about membership contact Gail Duncombe at 306-975-0875 or toll-free 1-888-658-4408.

The Saskatchewan Early Childhood Association (SECA) is the professional association working on behalf of early childhood educations in the province. The SECA membership includes individuals and organizations such as early childhood educators, daycare directors, special needs coordinators, family child care home providers, instructors, and any others with an interest in children and childcare.

For further information visit the  Saskatchewan Early Childhood Association Web site.  

For further information regarding Associations, see the document  Selecting a Business Association.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Staffing
All child day care center staff must be at least 16 years of age. The Child Care Regulations require child care staff to complete, within six months of beginning employment as a child care worker, an orientation course for child care workers through the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) unless the individual had completed an equivalent orientation or training course. Check with your child care consultant regarding training requirements. The staff member who is directly responsible for the programming and supervision within the center must have a minimum certificate in child care from a recognized educational facility, or education equivalent to a certificate.

At least one staff member who has completed a first aid course must be on the premises during the centre's hours of operation.

The childcare consultant in your area:

Southern Region Child Care - Regina Office
2045 Broad Street
Regina, Saskatchewan  S4P 3V7
Telephone: 306-787-4980

Southern Region Child Care - Moose Jaw Office
36 Athabasca Street West
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan  S6H 2B5
Telephone: 306-694-3644

Central Region Child Care - Saskatoon Office
122-3rd Avenue North
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7K 2H6
Telephone: 306-933-6071

Northern Region Child Care - Prince Albert Office
Box 3003
Prince Albert, Saskatchewan S6V 6G1
Telephone: 306-953-2668

RESOURCES

KOB Files
Saskatchewan Industry and Resources created "kinds of business (KOB's)" that include information on many different types of businesses. This information includes: product sources; fixture & equipment suppliers; trade shows; trade associations; trade journals; and other market data sources. Choose a KOB from the Table of Contents of the Kinds of Business  Web site.

The CSBSC also has files started on various kinds of business topics such as restaurants, bars, coffee shops. Information located in these files includes possible suppliers, statistics, sample business plans, etc. To access the information in these files please come into the office and request the KOB file or speak to a Business Information Specialist.

Library
Canada-Saskatchewan Business Service Centre resource library search engine - Saskatoon Reference Library .  Once you have located a particular resource you think might be useful, please contact us at the CSBSC office and we will discuss the material with you.

RECOMMENDED INTERNET WEB SITES

Childcare Resource and Research Unit
The Childcare Resource and Research Unit focuses on early childhood care and education research and policy. Its mandate is to advance the idea of a publicly-funded, universally accessible, comprehensive, high quality, not-for-profit system of early childhood care and education in Canada.

Child & Family Canada
This is a unique Canadian public education website. Fifty Canadian non-profit organizations have come together under the banner of Child & Family Canada to provide quality, credible resources on children and families on an easy-to-navigate website.

Invest in Kids Foundation
This is a national not-for profit organization whose goal is to help families make the most of their children's first five years. They are dedicated to strengthening the knowledge, skills and confidence of all those who touch the lives of our youngest children.

Community Resources and Employment
Links to information on the following topics: Adoption, Child Abuse and Neglect, Child Care Subsidy (includes licensed day care homes/centres), Child Day Care, Child Nutrition and Development Program, KidsFirst, Family Violence, Foster Care, Post Adoption, and Teen and Young Parent Program

For further information regarding starting a business, contact the

Canada-Saskatchewan Business Service Centre
#2 - 345 3^rd Avenue South
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
S7K 1M6
Phone: 306-956-2323
Toll-Free: 1-800-667-4374
E-mail: saskatchewan@canadabusiness.ca
Web site:  http://www.canadabusiness.ca/sask/

THE INDIVIDUAL/BUSINESS/CORPORATION/PARTNERSHIP (HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS THE CLIENT) ACKNOWLEDGES AND UNDERSTANDS THAT THE CANADA-SASKATCHEWAN BUSINESS SERVICE CENTRE DOES NOT WARRANT OR REPRESENT THE ACCURACY, SUITABILITY OR APPLICABILITY OF THIS INFORMATION AND ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR THE USE THEREOF BY THE CLIENT AND ANY THIRD PARTIES AND THAT THE INTERPRETATION, USE AND APPLICATION OF SUCH INFORMATION SHALL BE THE CLIENT'S SOLE RESPONSIBILITY

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this document is of a general nature only and is not intended to constitute advice for any specific fact situation. Users concerned about the reliability of the information should consult directly with the source, or seek legal counsel.

Links Policy
Some of the hypertext links lead to non-federal government sites which are not subject to the Official Languages Act and the material is available in one language only.