Open the Door to a New Opportunity.
Become a Regulated Family Home Child Care Provider.
Every day, many Nova Scotians open their homes to provide child care for families. Becoming a Family Home Child Care (FHCC) Provider is a rewarding, caring career that allows people the opportunity to provide high-quality care, earn an income, and work from home.
Benefits of Becoming a Family Home Child Care Provider
- Operation of your own home-based child care program
- FHCC Agency support and connection to a large early childhood community
- Professional development and training opportunities
- Access to start up grants and other financial supports
- Access to government fee subsidies to families under your care
- Ability to promote yourself as a provincially regulated provider that meets government standards
How Does Family Home Child Care Work?
Regulated FHCC Providers operate their own programs from their own homes. Family child care may be offered in the entire home or may be provided in a designated space in the home.
Each FHCC home is affiliated with a licensed, provincially funded FHCC agency in their area. Agencies provide support services, professional development, and coaching to the provider.
There is no cost to the child care provider to be affiliated with an agency. Child care fees are paid by families directly to the FHCC provider. Regulated FHCC homes are able to access the Child Care Subsidy Program and the Fee Reduction Program, offering affordable child care options for families.
Who can be a Regulated Family Home Child Care Provider?
Although some providers have early childhood education (ECE) training, it is not a requirement to be a regulated provider. FHCC Providers come from many backgrounds including current and retired ECEs, stay-at-home-parents, empty nesters, seniors, and newcomers. However, regardless of your background, you must:
- Be 18+
- Provide service in your own home
- Be affiliated with a licensed and provincially funded FHCC agency
- Meet and maintain Early Learning and Child Care Regulations
- Have satisfactory first aid training
- Pass Child Abuse Registry and Vulnerable Sector Checks
We Care About Your Success
As a Regulated FHCC Provider, you can access resources to help you build a successful child care program:
Available to newly recruited child care providers, EECD provides a one-time grant of up to $7500 to assist with the costs of creating quality early learning and child care environments. The grant process is administered by the FHCC agency.
Available to regulated FHCC providers who are caring for children aged 0-35 months, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (EECD) provides $10 per each day the child is actively enrolled in the program. The grant process is administered by the FHCC agency.
Available to regulated FHCC providers, the ECE Classification Grant provides recognition to provider’s statuses with EECD Classification Services. The grant process is administered by the FHCC agency.<br>
| Level 1 | $10,000 annually |
| Level 2 | $11,500 annually |
| Level 3 | $12,500 annually |
Family Home Care Provider Retirement & Benefits Funding provides $1200 annually to all regulated FHCC providers to contribute to the purchase of a self-sourced health benefits plan.
EECD provides up to $1200 annually to all regulated FHCC providers to reimburse 50% of contributions to a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP).
Each of these grants will be prorated the number of months the child care provider is approved with a FHCC agency. The grant process is administered by the FHCC agency.
Professional Development Opportunities
Each FHCC Agency creates opportunities for ECE and related learning designed around the interests and professional growth goals of regulated care providers. Virtual and in-person workshops, conferences, and other networking spaces give regulated child care providers access to up-to-date child care information and the chance to connect with others in their agency, other agencies, and the broader ECE sector. There are no fees to regulated FHCC providers for these opportunities.
Resource
Lending Library
Each FHCC agency houses a library of resources to supplement the materials a FHCC provider has in their program. Equipment such as cribs and highchairs can be borrowed and returned when no longer required. Books with specific topics and quality toys may be borrowed to meet the developing interests of the children. There are no fees for use of these services.
Become a Regulated Family Home Child Care Provider
To begin the process, contact the FHCC Agency in your area. The agency will guide you through:
- An initial meeting to discuss interest & process
- Consultative work to get your home and program ready
- Final approval of your program as a member of the agency
Are You a Parent Looking for Child Care?
Consider a Regulated Family Home Child Care Provider if you are looking for:
- Smaller group sizes of children
- Ability for your multi-age siblings to be cared for together
- Safe and comfortable home environments
- Care providers who engage in up-to-date professional learning opportunities
- Quality programming supported by ECE consultants
- Peace of mind and security