Information for Child Care Providers

These resources should help you apply for, establish and maintain a child care facility.

You can also see our child care information for families.

Programs and resources

• Day Care Act and Regulations
  A new set of regulations for day care facilities and family home day care programs came into effect on April 1, 2011.
• Guide to Starting a Child Care Facility in Nova Scotia
  Licenses are required for anyone who wants to care for more than six children of any age (including their own) or eight school-age children (including their own).
• Starting and Operating a Family Home Day Care Program
  Family home day care agencies provide professional support to in-home care providers.
• Food and Nutrition Support for Regulated Child Care Settings
  Includes the Manual for Food and Nutrition in Regulated Child Care Settings.
• Recruitment & Retention of Child Care Staff
  A strategy to build a plan than will take steps to stabilize and enhance the child care workforce in order to deliver quality licensed child care services in Nova Scotia.
• Training and Professional Development for Child Care Staff
  Includes information on classification (including School Age Approval), continuing education, and financial assistance for child care providers and staff.
• Early Childhood Enhancement Grant (ECEG)
  Available to licensed commercial and non-profit full-day and part-day child care centres.
• Supported Child Care Grant (SCCG)
  This grant provides a stable source of funding for programs that help children with special needs.
• Child Care Facility Annual Report
  A report requesting program information and grant utilization in compliance with the Terms and Conditions of the Supported Child Care Grant and the Early Childhood Enhancement Grant.
• Early Intervention Programs
  These programs are designed for children who are at risk of poor developmental outcomes.