Information for Child Care Providers

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

Programs and resources

• Child Care Directory
  Licensed child care facilities in Nova Scotia.
• Child Care Centre License
  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).
• Child Care Operating Grant
  Available to licensed commercial and non-profit full-day child care centres.
• Child Care Stabilization Grant Program
  Funding to full-day child care programs to enhace wages, benefits and training of child care staff.
• Child Care Expansion and Replacement Loan
  Financial assistance to new and existing facilities enabling them to expand their capacity. Includes the list of Approved Expansion Loan applicants.
• Training Requirements for Early Childhood Education Staff
  Programs that fulfill the requirements to become staff in a Nova Scotian child care facility.
• Early Childhood Education Assistance Program
  This program will provide a debt reduction incentive to eligible Early Childhood Education graduates.
• 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.
• Continuing Education Program
  This program is intended to enhance the ability of licensed child care centres and family home day care agencies to recruit and retain staff.
• Links to Professional Development Programs
  Useful links for current practicing early childhood educators who wish to upgrade their skills.
• Family Home Day Care
  This program gives parents access to monitored day care services in a home setting.
• Energy Upgrade Grant
  This grant provides one-time funding that will enable a facility to operate in a more energy efficient manner.
• Outdoor Playspace Grant
  Grants to assist in the creation of natural, safe and stimulating outdoor play spaces.
• Program Enhancement Grant (PEG)
  Grants to assist in the enhancement of safe and stimulating programs.
• Repair and Renovation Loan
  Assistance for licensed commercial and non-profit child care centres.
• Supported Child Care Grant
  The Supported Child Care Grant provides a stable source of funding for programs that help children with special needs.
• Early Intervention Programs
  These programs are designed for children who are at risk of poor developmental outcomes.
• Child Abuse Register
  The Child Abuse Register is used by organizations to confirm that potential employees and volunteers have not been found by the court to have abused children.

Related information

• Influenza (H1/N1 Flu) Toolkit (PDF) Provided by the Department of Health Promotion and Protection
• Amendments to Nova Scotia’s Day Care Regulations - Consultation Summary (PDF)
• Day Care Act
• Day Care Regulations
• ELCC Program
• Early Childhood Education Training
• Child Abuse Register
• Daily Program Policy for Regulated Child Care Settings in Nova Scotia (PDF)
• Guidelines for Communicable Disease Prevention (PDF)
• Early Childhood Development Initiative and the Multi-lateral Framework on Early Learning and Child Care -2003 (PDF)
• Quality Inclusive Childcare (PDF)
• Find a licensed facility through Child Care Connections NS
• The Minister's Letter to Directors - April 8, 2008 (PDF)
• The Minister's Letter to Directors - December 6, 2007 (PDF)
• Guide to Starting A Family Home Day Care Agency
• Food and Nutrition Support in Licensed Child Care Centres: Environmental Scan and Literature Review (PDF)