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Why Should You Choose the Muskoka Home Child Care Agency?

Home...Children - Early Years and Child CareMuskoka Home Child Care AgencyWhy Should You Choose the Muskoka Home Child Care...
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At the Muskoka Home Child Care Agency (MHCCA), we understand the importance of finding the best quality program for your child and your family.

We see children through a lens of being rich in potential as they navigate their first years of life. Children often surprise the world with how capable and competent they are, and we support this by providing experiences and space to play and be curious.
We support our team by helping them reach their maximum potential. We do this by meeting our providers, families, and children where they are on their learning path.

The Child Care and Early Years Act and the document How Does Learning Happen? guide our philosophy in all of our interactions with children, families, Providers and staff.

MHCCA strongly believes in:

  • Quality Care
  • Health and Safety
  • Providing Affordable Child Care
  • Honouring Uniqueness and Working as a Team

Jump to:  MHCCA Waitlist or Registration Form


Quality Care 

We have come to understand that quality is beyond something that can be described, defined and measured by a checklist, it is something that you feel and have confidence in. You know when the Provider and program is the best fit for you and your family. 

What Does Quality Feel Like? When we asked MHCCA Providers what quality feels like, they provided the response found in the wordle below:

various words jumbled together

Choosing the Right Providers for our Community

As an Agency, we are entrusted to find the right people to join the team. It takes time and commitment to see the process out and an ongoing desire to learn is essential to future success. 

 

When we approve providers to join our team, we look for people with: 

  • a high degree of integrity;
  • professionalism;
  • a desire to learn; and most importantly,
  • people who want to make a positive impact on the children and families they work with.
How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years

As an Agency, we implement Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years framework How Does Learning Happen?, which describes the four foundations of learning for children:

  1. Well-Being
  2. Engagement
  3. Expression
  4. Belonging

Each foundation is interconnected and essential to the overall development of children. When we see children as curious, competent and capable of complex thinking, we are better equipped to support them in reaching their maximum potential.

This document guides Early Childhood Educator philosophies and principals as we work together as providers, families and children to be co-learners.

We are here to support you!

We support positive and responsive interactions among the children, parents/guardians, child care Providers and staff, and foster engagement and ongoing communication with parents/guardians about the program and their children.

Our Home Visitors are available to connect parents/guardians in conversations and support a positive experience during every interaction.

Guidance from our team of Registered Early Childhood Educators

Our Providers receive regular announced and unannounced visits and communication with a team of Registered Early Childhood Educators, dedicated to children’s well-being.  

By building relationships, encouraging and supporting continued professional learning, regularly completing home visits, and creating those important connections, we have a team of collaborative, high-quality Educators.

Health and Safety

Safety is a top priority in all our programs. MHCCA takes proactive steps to ensure the health and safety of your children.

Provider Requirements

Onboarding a new Provider is more than finding the right personality match. It is also about ensuring all the safety measures have been completed including, but not limited to:

  • Criminal Record Check with a Vulnerable Sector Screening;
  • First Aid Level C;
  • Fire Inspection;
  • Home Safety Inspection;
  • CAS checks; and
  • Rabies vaccines for dogs, cats and ferrets, etc.

Many of these requirements are required for anyone living in the home, or regularly present in the program as well.

Policies and Procedures 

Our Policies and Procedures guide our interactions and expectations. They are there for the health, safety and well-being of each child.

Policies include ensuring that: 

  • children have adequate rest and hours of play outdoors;
  • the environment is free from smoke and cannabis;
  • children do not have access to any standing or recreational bodies or water; and
  • medical and anaphylactic plans are in place.
Nutritional Eating 
It is our intention that your child plays whole-heartedly while in care, using their body and mind to learn. All this energy gets burned up quickly, so when we refuel the tank, we want to be mindful of filling it with the most nutritional choices. Our Providers meet the recommendations for healthy eating as outlined by the Ministry of Education. 
Consents
We respect the rights and freedoms of our families and therefore in each registration package there is a section of consents, including whether or not your child can be photographed, transported in a vehicle, is able to wear skin care products, etc. 
Capacity Limits

Home capacity is a serious issue that must be followed in accordance with the Child Care and Early Years Act guidelines.

No more than six (6) children may be in care at any one time, including the Provider’s own children under the age of four.

After September 1 in a calendar year, any of the Provider’s own children who will turn the age of four in that year do not have to be counted in the total number of children at a premise. 

Of the total number of children in care, including the Provider’s own children, no more than three (3) children may be under the age of two (2).

Affordable Child Care

The program is available to all families, even if you need help to pay for it. The way we achieve this is as follows:

  • As of November 1, 2022, the Muskoka Home Child Care Agency has opted in, to implement the Canada Wide Early Learning Child Care (CWELCC) plan, making quality child care more affordable, accessible and inclusive. Please see the District of Muskoka website for more information.
Daily Fees

As of November 1, 2022, the Muskoka Home Child Care Agency has opted in, to implement the Canada Wide Early Learning Child Care (CWELCC) plan, making quality child care more affordable, accessible and inclusive. Please see the District of Muskoka website for more information.

Type of CareHoursDaily Rate 2023
Under Age 2 Up to 10 hours $20.79
Preschool Age (2-School Age) Up to 10 hours $17.95
JK/SK Age, Full Day 6 - 10 hours $17.01
Age 6-12, Full Day 6 - 10 hours $33.00
Before School 0 - 3 hours $12.00
After School 0 - 3 hours $12.00
Extended Before School 3 - 6 hours $22.00
Extended After School 3 - 6 hours $22.00
Weekend (0-6) Up to 10 hours $26.46
Weekend (6 and up) Up to 10 hours $56.00
Extended Hours (0-6) Over 10 - 23 hours $24.10
Extended Hours (6 and up) Over 10 - 23 hours $51.00
Extended Weekends/Overnights (0-6) Over 10 - 23 hours $28.83
Extended Weekends/Overnights (6 and up) Over 10 - 23 hours $61.00

 

Fee Subsidy 

As an Agency family, you are eligible to apply to have a portion or all of your child care fees paid for by the District Municipality of Muskoka through the Child Care Fee Subsidy Program.

Fee Subsidy is based on a few factors including income levels and can be accessed when families are working, attending school or have special family circumstances as identified by a third party agency.

We encourage all families to visit the website to do a quick pre-eligibility calculation using the Child Care Subsidy Calculator.

Allotment Days
Agency placed families have up to 15 prorated allotment days that they are able to use each calendar year. These can be used for sick days, vacation time, appointments or however the family sees fit.

Honouring Uniqueness

Each child, family and educator are unique in their needs, wants and expectations. We acknowledge this in the following ways: 

Continuity of Care

Many of our families choose Home Child Care because they know that children benefit from a consistent educator from the moment they begin care until they start school.

This allows them to form a secure attachment and build a bond that is meaningful to them. As the family, you also get to know your Provider on a much more intimate level. 

With small group sizes and an atmosphere that mirrors a home, children have the opportunity to explore their worlds with confidence and comfort

Family Care
A unique feature of Home Child Care is that siblings get to be together each day while in care. In the programs, Providers continue to foster their sibling relationship while providing engaging and intentional play opportunities for each age group. Every child, regardless of having a sibling or not, is able to learn from one another, whether it’s compassion or gross motor skills, the children grow together. 
Individuality of Each Program

Just as we believe that each child is one of a kind, we feel the same about adults.

Although it is true that the quality rich foundation is the same for all our Providers, their individual uniqueness comes out in their program implementation.

For example, a Provider with a passion for art, may offer lots of opportunities for exploration devoted to this subject. A Provider with an enthusiasm for the outdoors, may run much of their programming outside.

Each Provider communicates differently and brings their own unique interest, perspective and cultural beliefs to the program.   

Inclusivity

We support all families in finding the best fit for their child and their unique needs and interests.

We strive to see that every child in care has the opportunity to learn and grow based on their own pace and that the child has the best environment to explore and flourish. We have many policies to support special circumstances such as allergies and medical needs and we work with our Providers and families to see to it that your child is safe, well cared for and is engaging successfully in the program.

Our Providers are Independent Business Owners

As an approved Provider with the Agency, each business owner has signed a Service Agreement indicating that they will follow our Policies and Procedures but beyond this, there is flexibility in the operation of their business such as hours of operation, the children, and families they have in their program, what additional policies they choose to implement, etc.

 

Some of our Provider’s have chosen to open only 4 days a week and some to work shorter hours. We respect these choices.

 

 

As independent business owners, our Providers can choose to have Back Up-Providers, Volunteers and Students in their homes. To do so, the person must go through similar screening processes as our Providers and attend basic training. Back-Up Providers can work alongside a Provider helping with day-to-day tasks or independently when the Provider is not in the program. Volunteers and Students are only able to work alongside a Provider. We encourage families to meet all members of the program prior to placement.


Do you still have questions? 

The Muskoka Home Child Care Agency Family Handbook is an important resource for families and providers.  In the handbook you will find information regarding our program philosophy, quality of care, onboarding providers and agency requirements, how to enroll, preparing for care, financial and attendance information, as well as health and safety guidelines. 

If you would like to request a printable copy of the MHCCA Family Handbook (2022), please email homechildcare@muskoka.on.ca 


 

I'm interested in MHCCA, now what? 

  1. Get on the MHCCA Waitlist. 
  2. We will contact you when a space becomes available.
    • As space becomes available priority will be given to siblings of children currently enrolled at the home child care premises, and/or children who fit a Providers need (days of care, age of child, hours of operation, etc.), while maintaining chronological order.
  3. You will have the opportunity to interview different Home Child Care Educators (Educator) with available spaces.
  4. Choose an Educator that is right for you, your child and your family.
  5. Ask to secure a space and for a predicted start date.
  6. Complete a Registration Package for each child you are enrolling. Ensuring that we have a vibrant knowledge of your child’s needs and health is of utmost importance to the Ministry of Education and us.

Waitlist

If you are interested in using MHCCA for your child care needs, we encourage you to complete our waitlist form linked below:

Click here to launch our Waitlist Form

If needed, a member of the MHCCA team will be happy to assist you filling out the form.

I am on the waitlist, what happens next?
  1. Children will be placed on the waitlist in chronological order, based on the date and time that the request was received.
  2. As space becomes available, priority will be given to siblings of children currently enrolled at the home child care premises, and/or children who fit a Providers need (days of care, age of child, hours of operation, etc.), while maintaining chronological order.
  3. A few families will be notified via phone or email when a space has opened up. This allows for the Provider to hold a variety interviews to find the right fit for their program, philosophies and children currently in care.
  4. Families are welcome to email homechildcare@muskoka.on.ca about their status on the waitlist.

Registration Form

If you have confirmed care with a MHCCA provider, please complete our Registration Form linked below:

Click here to launch our Registration Form

Tips for a smooth enrollment
  • Read the instructions carefully in order to deter a delayed start.
  • Have all your paperwork in advance including updated immunizations. If you choose not to immunize, a Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief affidavit will need to be notarized. Reach out to the Agency for the form and we will be happy to supply one for you.
  • Note that submitting the complete document a minimum of 1 week in advance of care beginning is required for processing time.
  • Understand that further delays may be required if you have a child requiring an individual plan, there is an error on the package, or more information is required. 

What are MHCCA Parents and Providers saying about the Agency?

Quotation Mark

Parents

What are you most grateful for when you think of your Child’s Placement? The confidence I had in her from the beginning that provided me with peace of mind when having to go to work and not worry about the care of my child.

– 2021, Parent Survey

Quotation Mark

Parents

I feel muskoka home childcare agency is really in your corner and is a strong stakeholder in your child's emotional and physical well-being. The professionalism, programs, and resources available were more than I was expecting when I first enrolled. My experience has been very positive, and I can see amazing outcomes in my kids growth and development. I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity.

- S. Carswell

Quotation Mark

Providers

With experience working in child care centres, as a private home provider, and as a licensed home provider I can confidently say I’ve done my best work as a provider with the Muskoka Home Childcare Agency. As a home provider I have the autonomy to run my business to meet my values and priorities. I set my hours, vacation, and professional boundaries. As an approved provider with the MHCCA I have access to grants, incentives, professional development, peer collaboration and a team environment I would otherwise have to sacrifice as a private home provider. It is truly the best of both worlds. The MHCCA is a team of professionals that bring their expertise into my home and business. They have improved on the quality of care I provide to families.

- B. Boyd 

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70 Pine Street
Bracebridge, ON P1L 1N3

Phone: 705-645-2100
Fax: 705-645-5319

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