07/11/2023
Friendly note from Admin
There are several types of care available to parents in BC regarding operator qualifications and number and ratio of children in care. Everything...absolutely EVERYTHING is based on household or premises NOT on the number of operators. For example an LNR can have 2 children or 1 sibling group plus any children related by blood or marriage to the operator. This is for the entire household, you can not have 4 children unrelated to you on the property because there are two adults working. When a premise is licensed under Island Health, there is a capacity number on the license. This is how many are allowed in care at one time.
Here is a list of care types available
• LNR (Licensed Not Required) - unlicensed. 2 children OR 1 sibling group plus any children related by blood or marriage to the operator. No extra education required for the operator. Please note that Nannies and Nanny shares fall under the category.
• FCC (Family Childcare) - license required by Island Health. 7 children in care, no more than 4 children under 4 years with no more than 2 under 2 years. All children under the age of 12 on the property count in total. Requires a 20 hour responsible adult course completion
• IHMA (In Home Multi-Age) - licensed required by Island Health. 8 children in care, no more than 3 children under 3 years old. All children under the age of 12 on the property count in total. Care is provider in the provider private residence. Valid ECE license is required.
• MA (Multi-Age) - license required by Island Health. 8 children in care, no more than 3 children under 3 years old. Depending on the location, children under 12 count in totals. Care is provided typically in a commercial location, but a private residence can be licensed if it has no access to the main living portion of the home. Valid ECE license is required
• Infant Group Care - license is required by Island Health. Up to 12 children under 3 years of age, with a 1:4 ration is required. Depending on the location, children under 12 count in totals. Care is provided typically in a commercial location, but a private residence can be licensed if it has no access to the main living portion of the home. Valid ECE license is required, with 1 ECE-IT (Infant Toddler Training) counting in ratio.
• Group Care - license required by Island Health. Up to 25 children over the age of 36 months (2 may be 30 months or older), with a 1:8 ration. Depending on the location, children under 12 count in totals. Care is provided typically in a commercial location, but a private residence can be licensed if it has no access to the main living portion of the home. Valid ECE license is required.
• Preschool - license required by Island Health. Up to 20 children over the age of 30 months to school age, 1:10 ratio with 1 ECE required in ratio. Can only be up to 4 hours.
• School Care - license required by Island Health. Up to 24 or 30 depending on the age of the youngest in care. 1:12 or 1:15 ratio depending on that age of the youngest in care. Responsible adult 20 hour course required.
Here is the link to the regulations https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/332_2007
Parents - Please please please, educate yourself on the types of care available. Be mindful of what is out there and if something feels off when you are interviewing a potential space for your child, take that into consideration.
Providers - Please do not offer care that violates the BC Childcare Regulations, you will be removed from the group without warning. Please do not remove comments from Group Experts advising on regulations, you will be removed.
Unfortunately Admin can not monitor the private conditions of childcare provided (that is what licensing officers are for), as such we can not remove members unless they are advertising something illegal.
I will update this should something change with the change to the Ministry of Education.
2 (1) For the purpose of paragraph (a) of the definition of "care" in section 1 of the Act, the following programs are prescribed:
