Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many children may I care for without being Licensed?
Answer: For an unlicensed daycare (LNR - Licence Not Required), two children or a sibling group, unrelated to the caregiver by blood or marriage may be cared for without a licence. In this scenario, the children RELATED to the caregiver do not count in the numbers.
2. How do I open a Licensed Child Care facility?
Answer: Call the nearest Community Care Facility Licensing Office (
Contact List). Licensing Information workshops are scheduled bi-monthly in Penticton and Kelowna. If you are in either city or surrounding area, call and register for the next available course. If your area does not offer workshops, please call the local office to obtain a Licensing Package. View the Community Care and Assisted Living Act and the accompanying Regulations at www.healthservices.gov.bc.ca/ccf.
3. How many children can I have in a Family Day Care? What ages can I care for?
Answer: Please contact your local licensing office to obtain the most up to date information. The Child Care Licensing Regulation was amended in November 2007.
4. What makes Family Day Care a “Community Care Facility”?
Answer: A “community care facility” is defined by provincial legislation as: premises or part of a premises in which a person provides care to 3 or more persons who are not related by blood or marriage to the person and includes any other premises or part of a premises that, in the opinion of the medical health officer, is used in conjunction with the community care facility for the purpose of providing care.
5. Who are considered siblings?
Answer: Three or more children who are recognized as a sibling group by the Director of Licensing, or,
Three or more children who reside in the same household if they are in the care of a person who is:
- A parent of the child
- A person with whom the child is placed under the Child, Family & Community Service Act
- A person who has custody or guardianship or the child under an order of a court
- The spouse of a person referred to in the previous three points if that person resides in the household
6. What is the staff to child ratio for child care?
Answer: Refer to the Child Care Licensing Regulation which can be linked to via the Community Care Facility Licensing Branch website at www.healthservices.gov.bc.ca/ccf. Staff to child ratios are given for each type of child care. If you still have questions, call the nearest Community Care Facility Licensing Office (Contact List) and ask to speak to a Licensing Officer.
7. Where can I get a list of Licensed Child or Adult Care facilities?
Answer: Call the nearest Community Care Facility Licensing Office (Contact List).
8. Where can I call when I have a complaint about a child care facility?
Answer: If the facility is licensed, call the nearest Community Care Facility Licensing Office (Contact List) and register your complaint. If the facility does not to your knowledge have a licence, but you notice a lot of children present, call the local office. It is the responsibility of the Community Care Facility Licensing Program to investigate any and all complaints regarding the illegal operation of daycares and any and all complaints regarding health and safety issues in licensed care facilities.
