YMCA Licensed Home Child Care Providers.

The YMCA of Northeastern Ontario’s Licensed Home Child Care Program follows the framework of “How Does Learning Happen?”, which promotes a shared understanding of what children need and what can be done to help them grow and flourish.

It is not a checklist of tasks to complete or a template for a “one-size fits-all” approach, and it is not a rating scale for measuring quality. Rather, “How Does Learning Happen?” emphasizes how important positive relationships are to the success of early learning licensed home child care programs. The four foundations of this document, which Home Child Care Providers practice, are Belonging, Well-being, Engagement and Expression.

The term quality means different things to different people. In "How Does Learning Happen?" quality refers to the kinds of programs that, according to research and practice from around the world, contribute to positive experiences and outcomes for children.

The term pedagogy refers to the process of understanding and supporting learning.

In addition to meeting children’s basic health and safety needs, Home Child Care Providers:

• Build positive and responsive relationships;
• Focus on children’s social, emotional, physical, creative and cognitive development in a holistic way;
• Provide environments in which children learn through exploration, play and inquiry;
• Engage with families and value their strengths, contributions and unique perspectives;
• Use pedagogical documentation to study, interpret, make visible and help inform children’s learning and development; and
• Support children as they learn along a developmental continuum and allow for smoother transitions from one program to another.

For more information regarding the Y Home Child Care Program, please view our Family Information Guide and Program Statement. It can be viewed here.

YMCA Licensed Home Child Care Providers Code of Ethics.

We offer an educational approach to child care in a home environment, with an emphasis on the needs of the individual child and family. We work in partnership with parents.

Every YMCA Licensed Home Child Care Provider shall:

• Accept all children and parents regardless of race, religion, socio–economic, linguistic, and cultural origins.
• Accept all children and parents regardless of physical or developmental ability.
• Actively encourage the growth and well–being of each child and of their family, being sensitive to individual family needs.
• Accept, respect and maintain complete confidentiality and sensitivity with regard to all child, parent, and YMCA information.
• Maintain ongoing and open communication with parents with regard to:
  • All aspects of the child’s day (eating, sleeping habits, behaviour and overall mood, activities undertaken, etc.)
  • Any changes in routine (holiday, use of a back–up person, schedule amendments, field trips, etc.)
• Maintain current professional knowledge and resources and, when possible and appropriate, access opportunities for professional development.
• Be receptive to guidance, advice and constructive criticism given to facilitate professional growth.
• Remember that parents are the primary caregivers and the role of the YMCA Licensed Home Child Care Provider is one that supports and compliments the responsibilities of the parents.