Find Quality Child Care and Early Learning

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As a parent, you want the best for your child. Licensed high quality child care and early learning programs support safe and healthy growth and development. Learn about your child care options and apply for a program online.

What is licensed child care?

Licensed child care follows Ministry of Education standards around health, safety and the ways children should be encouraged to learn and grow. The Ministry regularly monitors and inspects these programs to ensure they comply.

Explore your options

Browse the child care options below to see the differences between them. This may help you choose a provider. The Ministry also has a list of common questions (available in 30 languages) to ask a provider when looking for child care.

Licensed child care centres

Also known as day programs, nursery school or preschools
Care for children from birth to 12 years of age (some centres care for only certain age groups)
Care usually available Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Staff include early childhood educators in good standing with their regulating body

Licensed home child care

Care for up to six children (including their own, under age 6), from birth to 12 years of age
May offer more varied hours of care than the centres (including weekends, part-time)
Provided by approved caregivers in their homes under contract with a licensed agency
Licensed home child care agencies have consultants trained in early childhood education who offer support to caregivers

Before and after school care

Available for school-aged children (4 to 12 years old) in most schools
Operated by school boards or by licensed child care programs
View your child's school board website to learn more about their program:

Unlicensed child care

Provided by babysitters and nannies in the child's home or in the caregiver's home
Caregiver can care for up to five children (including their own, under the age of 6), and no more than two under the age of two.
Caregivers are expected to follow the same standards as licensed home child care, however, the Ministry of Education does not inspect unlicensed caregivers unless it receives a complaint
Babysitters and nannies providing care in a child's home are exempt from the Ministry standards

Apply for licensed child care

OneList Waterloo Region is where you apply online for all licensed care in Waterloo Region. You can also apply for financial help to pay for child care, and special needs supports (if you have concerns about your child's development). View answers to our commonly asked questions about One List Waterloo Region and the application process.

Apply for child care

Once your child(ren) are on a waitlist for a program, contact the program to ask questions and set up a tour. If you tour the program, look for a decal that shows it is licensed. Their licensing documents will also tell you things like how many children they can care for and for centres, the results of the Ministry's most recent licensing visit.

Quality improvement

Continuous learning and growth is important for children and for early years partners. The Region's quality improvement program is centered on this belief. Early Years Engage helps child care and early learning programs take an ongoing approach to improving.