Parent Resources
In Alberta, parents have a wide range of choice when it comes to selecting the child care option that best fits their families situation. Embolden Professional Dayhome Community has a variety of resources and supports to help empower parents and caregivers to make sound child care decisions when it comes to dayhome care.
DAYHOME CHILD CARE IN ALBERTA
Did you know that the majority of parents in Alberta utilize dayhome child care arrangements to meet their child care needs? Whether a facility based space is unavailable in your community or a dayhome child care arrangement better suits your lifestyle, you may have found yourself looking into dayhome child care in your area. And not knowing what to look for within dayhome child care, or how to ensure you’re choosing a quality child care program may have you feeling a bit anxious or uncertain. Is dayhome child care safe? What does quality dayhome 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.
YOUR ROLE AS A PARENT
There are some major differences between the 2 types of dayhome 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 – especially if you have taken the time and put in the effort to choose a quality dayhome child care program.Â
ADSN 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.
FINDING A DAYHOME PROGRAM
Sometimes finding a quality dayhome 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 ADSN 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 ADSN members within our child care directory but in order to unlock a clickable profile our members must submit 3 key supporting documents to become verified members of the ADSN Community.
CHOOSING A DAYHOME
So how do you ensure that you are choosing a quality dayhome 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.Â
Not sure where to start? Download our Dayhome Child Care Cheat Sheet.Â
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. Inside our free Parent Guide “Navigating Alberta Dayhomes” you’ll find a list of things to look for when securing dayhome child care. You might also want to check out our Parent Portal within the ADSN Directory where we tackle a variety of dayhome topics in detail – including interviewing best practices. Â
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, 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. Inside the Parent Portal we have an entire section dedicated to building and maintaining a meaningful relationship with your provider, including the importance of communication.
REPORTING INCIDENTS
In 2021, the Government of Alberta passed new legislation to protect children in all types of child care. The Alberta government can now investigate complaints about all dayhome child care providers (including unlicensed) when there is reason to believe that:Â
- a person is providing care for more than 6 children (not including their own), orÂ
- an imminent threat to the health, safety, or welfare of any children to whom the person is offering or providing care exists.Â
If either of these is confirmed, Children’s Services can 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.
The ADSN Parent Portal was created to empower and embolden parents as they navigate the world of dayhome child care in Alberta. Inside you’ll find a wealth of resources and supports as listed below.
LEARNING CORNER
- Child Care Types
- Intro to Dayhomes
- Common Practices
- Your Ideal Dayhome
- Finding a Dayhome
- Interviewing
- Starting Care
- Transitioning
- Comunication
- Supporting Providers
- Concerns
- Termination
- Child Guidance
- Potty Training
- Meal Times
RESOURCE CENTER
- Safety
- Tools & Printables
- Links & Referrals
- Parent Blog
ADSN Directory
We are proud to have the only dayhome-specific directory in Alberta where we showcase our members and their programs.Â
To unlock a clickable profile in the directory, our members must provide us with 3 key documents relating to safety in dayhome settings.Â
This process helps give parents peace of mind as they search for dayhome child care in the province.Â
The ADSN Directory helps narrow down your search by connecting you with dayhome professionals whoa re committed to quality and safety in their programs.
