Get a licence for your family day home

Under the Child Care Act you need to get a licence for your day home if on a regular basis you:

• care for 4 or more children in your home; and
• are paid for doing so.

If you care for 3 or fewer children, you can get a licence, but you do not have to.

According to the Child Care Act, if you run a licensed family day home, you may care for up to:

• 4 children, if they're all infants under 18 months of age; or
• 6 preschool children, with no more than 3 infants; or
• 8 preschool children, where none are infants.

You can include your own preschool children in calculating the number of children that you care for.

If you have another person working with you in your day home, you can have:

• up to 4 school-aged children; plus
• the number of preschool children permitted by law.

A licence is issued for 1 year. To get a licensing package, email earlylearning@yukon.ca, or phone: 867-667-3492.

To complete a licensing package, you will need:

• 3 references;
• health, fire, and safety inspections of your home;
• an RCMP criminal-record check; and
• a medical exam.

How can we help you?

A child-care inspector can:

• help you set up your family day home;
• advise you on making policies on discipline, hygiene and emergency procedures;
• provide you with resource materials; and
• help with programming ideas.

What happens after I have a licence for my family day home?

A child-care inspector will visit your home from time to time to:

• make sure you meet standards in the Child Care Act and regulation;
• provide you with support;
• answer your questions; and
• provide guidance.

What happens if my application for a licence is denied?

You can appeal the decision. The Yukon Child Care Board will review your appeal. The board is made up of people nominated by:

• Yukon First Nations;
• child care groups;
• licensed child-care services; and
• parents.

The board represents the racial, regional and gender balance in Yukon.

How to appeal a decision?

1. Complete a Notice of Appeal form.
2. Submit the appeal form.
   In person: 1000 Lewes Blvd, Whitehorse. Our office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.
   Email: earlylearning@yukon.ca
   Mail:
   Yukon Child Care Board Chair 
   PO Box 3117
   Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 5P7

Your home

• Is your home safe and clean?
• Are there enough toys for all children?
• Are the toys in good repair and readily accessible?
• Are the toys suitable for the ages of the children being cared for?
• Is there a quiet area where a child can play alone?
• Is there an open space where children can play together?
• Is there an accessible and safe outdoor play area?
• Are the children safe and protected, but given room to explore?

Daily routines

There should be set times for:

• eating and resting;
• outdoor and indoor play; and
• quiet and active time.

Is there a set of rules that's consistent and reasonable?

Activities

You need to provide a variety of play opportunities for the children you are caring for in your home.

Here are some suggestions of things you may want to include:

• table toys, such as puzzles and games;
• musical movement, such as records, tapes, songs;
• large and small blocks;
• toy people, trucks and animals;
• dress-up clothes for imaginative play;
• props such as dishes, dolls, mirrors;
• paper, paint, crayons, scissors, or Play-doh for arts and crafts;
• activities that explore science and nature such as planting seeds, cooking, outdoor exploring;
• books and stories; and
• vigorous activities like climbing, swinging and running.

If you run a licensed family day home, you can apply to the Direct Operating Grant to help you purchase some of the above items.