Child Care Options In Canada
In Canada, options for child care are varied and range from nannies, daycare centres, home daycares, and preschool programs, to before and after school services. Child care services may be regulated or unregulated.
Regulated child care services include centre-based full-day child care, home child care, school-aged child care, and in most provinces, nursery schools and preschools. These are monitored, licensed, and regulated by provincial and territorial authorities.
Unregulated child care services are provided either in a family child care home or in the childs own home. If using this service, as a parent, it is your sole responsibility to assess the quality of child care provided, manage the relationship with the provider, and to find a new provider if theres any issue with the arrangement.
Heres a brief regulatory overview of some child care options in Canada:
| Note: When child care is provided in your own home, you will need to negotiate the terms of employment with the caregiver. If the caregiver is part of the Live-In Caregiver Program, there must be a written contract between the employer and the employee . It must include: job duties, hours of work, wages, holiday and sick leave entitlements and termination and resignation terms. |
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Tip: You may want to consider a written contract with an unregulated family child care provider. A sample contract for the Live-In Caregiver Program may be useful for designing this contract.
Make The Most Of Tax Breaks And Credits
By paying your caregiver on the books, you can take advantage of tax breaks and credits. For example, by itemizing care-related expenses on your federal income return, you could receive a Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit on up to $600 of care-related expenses if you have one child, or $1,200 of care-related expenses if you have two or more children.
This years Cost of Care survey concluded that just over 1/3 of parents did not claim the expanded child care tax credit on their 2021 taxes, and 43% say thats because they were unaware of it.
In addition, parents can save $2,000 per child using the Child Tax Credit.
Policy Solutions To Help Families Access High
The disconnect between the cost of child care and what parents can afford to paycoupled with the lack of public fundinghighlights the central challenge at the heart of the U.S. early childhood system today. While the United States has been slow to invest in early childhood education, compared with many other developed counties, recent polling shows that voters want policymakers to act. Nearly 80 percent of respondents to a recent national CAP survey supported improving the quality of child care and making it affordable for parents, and nearly 70 percent said they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports these policy ideas.49
There are several policy responses states and communities can pursue to address this need:
Conduct a cost-of-quality study to fully understand the true cost of child care
The data provided in this report use state and national averages drawn from a variety of sources. While this helps illustrate the significant gaps between current revenue streams and the true cost of quality, conducting a full cost-of-quality study would allow states and communities to better estimate the specific cost of delivering high-quality child care in their area.
Enact subsidy policies that support infants and toddlers
Use QRIS incentives to support infants and toddlers
Support providers in all settings
Increase pay for infant and toddler teachers
Enact comprehensive early childhood education reform
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Where Can You Find A Caregiver
Ready to start your search for your child care? For accredited day care centers, start with the National Association for the Education of Young Children , which maintains a list of accredited facilities and is updated on Fridays.
You can also check out your states government website. It often has a directory of licensed child care providers and their locations, health and safety details, ages of children served, capacity and hours of care.
Another great way to find top notch candidates or reputable centers is word of mouth. Dont be shy about asking parents you see in your community if they can recommend a great infant caregiver.
Nursery school teachers and your childs pediatrician are also good sources, as are bulletin boards at your doctors office, library or place of worship.
From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.
- What to Expect the First Year, 3rd edition, Heidi Murkoff.
What Are The Different Types Of Nannies And Average Rates
There are many different types of nannies, and knowing the right type for your family is essential to ensure you are happy and your child is happy. Below is a brief description of the different types of nanny positions and the average rates for each:
1. Live-in Nanny
Live-in nannies are full-time childcare providers who move in with their families to help provide round-the-clock care. Hiring a live-in nanny can be an ideal solution for busy families, especially for those who travel frequently. . Live-in nannies are most commonly employed by families with children under three years of age. The average Live-in nanny cost is approximately $600 a week. These numbers can vary from city to city.
2. Live-out Nanny
You can understand a live-out nanny as a nanny who might live near the employers house but does not share the same house. Live-out nannies commute to the place where she is working as a caregiver for the children. The only difference between live-in and live-out nannies is that live-out nannies go home at the end of the day. Live-out nannies are typically paid a wage of around $700 per week. The exact will depend on nanny rates in your area.
3. Au Pair
4. Maternity Nanny
5. Mothers Helper
6. Nanny Share
7. Night Nanny
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Tips For Cutting Costs
We are by no means encouraging you to cut all costs to zero and live like a hermit. Not at all, life is a journey meant for you and your family to enjoy. Here are some cost-cutting tips that you can use:
Save Hospital Costs
Consider delivering your baby at a birth center rather than a hospital. It may save you a couple of thousand dollars that you can use for other baby needs. If you deliver in a hospital, refuse unnecessary add-ons that will hike up the bill. Check the bill for errors and ask questions where its not clear. Some hospitals charge for TV, so keep it off, and enjoy your baby.
Breastfeed on a Budget
Breastfeed your baby rather than give them formula milk. It will save you $1,350 or more. Rather than buy a pump, check with your health insurance provider first, for a free breast pump. Hospitals offer lactation support, so rather than hiring someone, speak to them instead. Additionally, use your normal clothes rather than buying a breastfeeding wardrobe. Button-down blouses and tops work well.
Find Cheaper Housing Areas
Moving may feel like a big deal and it is, but according to the USDA report, housing takes up 29 percent of your income. You can save money by moving to a suburb or rural setting where housing is cheaper.
Childcare is Expensive
Cut Clothing Costs
Get Crafty
Shop Smart
Back-Up
Use Free Activities/Entertainment
Reusable Products
What To Look For In Infant Daycare
Be sure to ask about the following when visiting an infant daycare center:
- The staff’s qualifications
- The ratio of infants to care providers
- The structure of the day
- The center’s licensing qualifications
Babies also need a clean and safe environment as they start to explore the world around them.
The American Academy of Pediatrics provides links to credentialing agencies for parents seeking quality daycare for their infants.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children recommends a ratio of one adult to four babies, in a group of no more than eight babies.
Establishing an attachment with caregivers is very important for babies 18 months and younger. Continuity of care is the most important aspect at this stage. Babies need time to develop an attachment to and trust in the person who is caring for them.
Infants can thrive in childcare as long as they enjoy plenty of attention, affection, playful interaction with caregivers, and rich language experiences.
A quality caregiver will be sensitive to a baby’s needs, feel comfortable expressing affection towards babies, and understand child development stages.
Parents may be concerned about negative effects on their children due to being placed in daycare at a young age. However, a study published in 2017 found that among young children in early childcare centers, those given high levels of emotional and behavioral support showed increased social competence a year later.
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How To Get Subsidized Child Care In Los Angeles
Paying for child care is expensive, and Los Angeles does provide options for families to receive financial assistance for care. California offers voucher-based child care through CalWORKs, which means that youâll be able to choose the center for your child — either a licensed or a license-exempt center in Los Angeles. CalWORKs offers three types of child care payment programs, and you can read more about the eligibility requirements here. The California Department of Social Services website shows the maximum reimbursements you can receive, based on your income and need. For example, in Los Angeles for full-time monthly preschool programs, you could receive up to a maximum reimbursement of $1,253 per month.
Find The Best Care For Your Budget
Once youre clear on what you can afford, you can steer toward the child care option thats the best fit for your family. The first step: Research current rates in your area. Care.com has free interactive tools you can use to identify the average costs of full-time child care, nanny and babysitter rates and nanny taxes in your region.
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Other Factors To Consider When Setting Your Rates For Child Care
For nannies and babysitters who set their own rates, the cost can increase for a few reasons:
- Number of Children: As any parent knows, more children means more work, especially when age ranges vary. For each additional child, pay your child care provider an extra $1 or $2.
- Certifications: Theres a difference in experience both in life and in child care between your neighbors 16-year-old daughter and a nanny of 10 years who is CPR and first-aid certified. Plan to compensate your nanny accordingly.
- Additional Responsibilities: If you expect your sitter to pick up the kids from school, help with homework, or perform household tasks like cooking dinner or cleaning, plan to pay more for these additional services.
- Special Occasions: If you plan to hire a sitter for New Years Eve or Valentines Day, youll need to pay more than your usual rate. Sitters are in high demand at these times.
- Travel and Expenses: Of course, sitters in large cities like Manhattan or San Francisco are more expensive than those in smaller Midwestern cities. But youll also need to think about how long it takes for the sitter or nanny to travel to work. If you live in a rural area where the sitter has to drive 45 minutes each way, you might have to pay more to make it worth their time for a 2-hour babysitting job.
*Sittercity Provider Data, January 2022
Child Care In Canada: Types Cost And Tips For Newcomers
Moving to Canada and starting a new life is exciting! If youre a newcomer with kids, child care is probably at the top of your mind. The desire to balance cost, service quality, convenience, and availability can, at times, make finding an appropriate child care arrangement challenging, especially for newcomer parents.
In this article, we will explore the various child care options that are available in Canada, outline costs and subsidies to help you plan and budget better. Well also share some tips to help you find a suitable child care service.
In this article:
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Average Cost Of Child Care
Many new parents realize they should start saving for college as soon as possible. But theres an expense that can cost as much as college and starts much sooner: child care.
Shocking but true: In the U.S, the cost of child care at a day care center, full-time, is about as much as annual tuition and fees at a public college in the same state.
The day care costs range from a state average of $5,547 for an infant in Alabama to $16,549 for one in Massachusetts. A full-time nanny can cost as much as or more than tuition and fees at an Ivy League institution. Yet unlike college, for which almost all students can get subsidies and loans, child care is usually paid out of parents pockets.
How Much Does A Nanny Cost
An in-home babysitter, or nanny, may be a better solution for some families, especially those with multiple children. About 5% of young children with a child care arrangement are cared for in their home by a babysitter or nanny.
The nanny market is competitive, with more experienced workers demanding higher pay. Families also try to woo nannies with good benefits, like health insurance, paid vacation and guaranteed pay on days or weeks when he or she isnt needed, like when the family goes on vacation or a grandparent is visiting.
The average salary for a nanny is $19.14 per hour , according to a 2017 survey of mostly U.S.-based nannies done by the International Nanny Association. It ranges from an average of $14.08 per hour for a nanny with less than one year of experience to $21.98 per hour, on average, for those with 20-25 years of experience.
About 62% of nannies are compensated for overtime at time and a half, and 60% receive an annual bonus from their employer. More than 70% also get paid vacation and paid holidays. Only 17% of nannies get their health insurance costs paid either fully or partially.
U.S. families who pay a nanny more than $2,300 per year are responsible for paying social security and Medicare taxes of 15.3% of the cash wages, according to the IRS. This amount can be split between the employer and the employee.
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Looking Into Childcare Programs And Subsidies
Your family may qualify for programs that help you spend less on child care. For example, you may be eligible for state assistance subsidies or military family assistance programs.
You may also be eligible for various employer subsidy programs. These include child care network programs that allow you to get a discount from particular daycare centers.
If youre a student, you can take advantage of school-sponsored subsidies. For example, some universities will offer you subsidized on-campus daycare.
How Much Do Daycare Centers Cost
Childcare for babies and toddlersA known fact is that if your child is a baby or a toddler, the daycare center will be more expensive. Thats mainly because kids this age need a lot more care and the center must hire a bigger staff. The average cost of center-based daycare in the United States is $11,666 per year , but prices range from $3,582 to $18,773 a year , according to the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies . Parents reported bigger costs that can go to $2,000 a month for infant care in cities like San Francisco and Boston.
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States that are on the top of the charts, with costs that can go over $10,000 per year for daycare, are the following: Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, Minnesota, Washington, California, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
At the other side, the least expensive states for childcare are Mississippi , Kentucky , and South Carolina .
Childcare for preschoolersIn general, the daycare price for preschool-age children will be cheaper, with an average of $8,800 a year . Youll pay anywhere from $4,460 to $13,185 a year , depending on your local area.
The least expensive states for preschool-age care in a childcare center, with costs ranging from less than $4,000 a year to around $7,000 a year are Mississippi, Kentucky, Louisiana, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Idaho, West Virginia, South Carolina, and Alabama.
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Should The Average Working Joe Pay For Daycare
If both parents have full-time jobs or if you dont have enough time to take care of your child, then it should be a great idea to pay for daycare. If you dont have enough money to pay for daycare in full, then it could be a better idea to find a close relative to take care of your children, but be sure to pick someone you trust, a responsible person that knows how to raise children.
Cost Of Child Care In Houston Tx
The right child care is an investment that can make a lasting impact on your little oneâs life. But finding and choosing the best early education provider in Houston can be a difficult decision — and an expensive one.
To help in your search, we found and analyzed websites for 1,432 daycares and preschools across Houston. We brought it all together in this guide to give you a sense of the range of prices you might see as well as the averages that youâll likely pay based on your needs.
For full-time, full-day care in Houston, the average cost across age groups ranged from $203 to $3,486 per month — with an average price of $1,087 per month.
We know that cost is just one factor in determining the best daycare or preschool for your child. And, many elements go into a providerâs cost: curriculum, student-teacher ratios, schedule, location, facilities, educational training of teachers, etc.
We hope this guide will help you prepare for the type of investment youâll be making. Depending on when youâre starting your search, just consider that tuition continues to rise. Between 2021 and 2022, we saw an average increase of 8% .
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