Wee Watch Shares Insights on the Opportunities Ahead for Out-Of-Work Childcare Professionals
TORONTO, July 7, 2020 /CNW/ - As Ontario enters Phase 2 and families begin to return to work, challenges around childcare options are timely. As daycares adjust to operating with limited capacity resulting in reduced availability and with addition of new and additional health practices, parents are faced with searching for a safe place to send their children.
Not all daycares have had the opportunity to evolve with COVID-19 but Wee Watch licensed home childcare agencies have remained open throughout the pandemic to provide safe and reliable care to children of essential workers across more than 110 communities in Ontario. During this entire period, its child care professionals have enhanced their health and safety protocols to keep children, their families and themselves safe. Due to the small number of children in each Wee Watch home, it is inherently more safe and adjustments to new rules have been more seamless to integrate than in larger daycare centers.
"A lot of parents have been asking what exactly a day at daycare looks like for their children upon their return to childcare facilities now that we've entered Phase 2" says Lisa Parise, Vice President of Wee Watch. "We want to reassure parents that while things may be different in terms of drop off and pick-up, meals and some activities and play, children will still receive the human connection they need but in a safer way. All of the reasons that parents have chosen licensed home childcare remain; screened and trained Providers, small group size, access to educational programming, flexible hours and a safe environment with oversight and supervision".
Measures designed to keep kids and staff safe have reduced childcare centre capacities across the province. At Wee Watch licensed home childcare, the home environment, combined with the small number of children, offers the flexibility and personal attention that is needed to ensure the individual child's development and well-being. With restrictions on access and use of toys and certain materials that can increase the risk of spread, now is the perfect time for out-of-work childcare professionals to consider opening their own at-home care centre.
"We need to prepare for the inevitable need for more child care spaces as parents begin to return to work", says Lisa. "With an increased number of childcare professionals out of work, we encourage them to join our growing team of Providers across Ontario in order to help provide the highest quality of at home care and offset the demand for those in need". It may also be an opportune time for moms that prefer not to return to their previous employment to open their home and offer childcare. Working in their own environment with the support of a childcare Agency like Wee Watch ensures that childcare Providers have control over their own working environment, something many people are looking for these days.
Wee Watch is prepared to support new child care professionals with training and equipment as they set up their homes to meet the safety requirements implemented by the government along with provincial licensing regulations in accordance with the Ministry of Education, Child Care and Early Years Act.
For more information on how to become a Wee Watch care provider, please visit weewatch.com.
About Wee Watch
Wee Watch is a professional child care organization with over 35 years of providing quality home child care through over 1000 childcare Providers across Ontario. Over the years Wee Watch has cared for thousands of children from infants to 12 years of age. Wee Watch strictly complies with or exceeds provincial licensing regulations in accordance with the Ministry of Education, Child Care and Early Years Act. Wee Watch knows about providing the best child care in a home environment. Our model is based on the simple premise that private home day care is the most appropriate form of child care. Wee Watch provides a warm, safe and stimulating environment where self-confidence is encouraged and an interest in learning is promoted through play.
SOURCE Wee Watch
Sarah Garber | [email protected]; Laura Gannon | [email protected]
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