In case you aren't familiar, the requirements for becoming a registered as a License-Not-Required (LNR) child care provider include:
- Completion of an Infants and Children's First Aid Course
- Completion of a 56 hour course on child care
- Completion of yearly criminal record checks for every adult in the household
- Completion of a physicians report ensuring physical and mental health
- Completion of a Health and Safety Home Assessment
- Additionally, 3 Character references, self assessment, interviews, etc.
Registered LNR child care providers are also required to attend several professional development workshops per year.
Being a Registered LNR with the Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre is far more than just a guaranteed thorough background check. Registration also means constant opportunities for professional development through courses offered regularly throughout the year on various child care topics.
I also have access to their library which offers information books, magazines, videotapes, audiotapes, posters, dolls, puppets, matching games, concept cards, puzzles, story books in English and in other languages, felt board stories, stories with props, story kits, seasonal kits, and multicultural resource kits. They also have a reference section and an extensive file collection of articles, brochures, and other ephemera. There is even an equipment lending program!
Some friends and family have asked me if it's "better" to send your child to a licensed care facility. After all, one facility is licensed and the other facility isn't, so obviously the licensed one should be considered "better," right? This is not necessarily the case. As an LNR, it isn't that I don't want or can't get a license, it's that a license simply isn't required because I'm ONLY going to be watching 2 children in addition to my own son. If I were a licensed facility, I'd be allowed to watch up to 7 children at one time. I have no desire to spread myself thin over 7 children so I have no desire at this time to become a licensed facility. You can read more about this here:
http://www.wstcoast.org/parents/choosing.html
In short, some kids thrive in an environment with many kids and some kids thrive in an environment where there are only a few. It's really for you to decide which setting is a better fit for your family and your child.
For more information, please visit the Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre website at http://www.wstcoast.org/
