Department
of Community Services
License to Operate a Child Care
Centre
Early Chidhood Development Services
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 |
| Who Needs This
Licence? |
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Anyone who wants to care for more
than:
1. Six (6) children of any age (including their own);
or
2. Eight (8) school-age children (including their own).
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| Issuing Department
/ Agency: |
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N.S.
Department of Community Services
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| Where can you get
this Licence and / or further information? |
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Early Childhood Development Services
Section
Family and Children's Services Division
NS Department of Community Services
Phone: (902) 424-5499
Fax: (902) 424-0708
Website: http://www.gov.ns.ca/coms/
E-mail enquiries: webcoms@gov.ns.ca
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Office Location:
Nelson Place
5675 Spring Garden Road
5th Floor
Halifax, NS B3J 1H1
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 696
Halifax, NS B3J 2T7 |
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Request to speak to the Supervisor,
Child Care Licensing and Standards. If the decision is made to proceed
to develop a licensed child care facility, the applicant will be provided
with a Basic Information Package consisting of:
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| Application Process: |
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- The Notice of Intent to Apply for a License to Operate a Child Care
Centre must be submitted to Early Childhood Development Services, Department
of Community Services.
- An Application Package will be sent to the potential applicant
- Before purchasing or leasing a building, or before building a facility,
the applicant must receive approval from the following:
- Regional Early Childhood Development Officer, who will review the
plans and visit the site to ensure it will meet requirements of the
Day Care Act & Regulations.
- Municipality, to confirm zoning
- Municipal Building inspector Nova Scotia Environment and Labour:
Office of the Fire Marshal
- Nova Scotia Environment and Labour: water source
- Food Safety Section, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
- When the building is ready for occupancy, written approval must be
obtained from inspectors in Environment and Labour (fire and water),
and from Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (food safety). These
reports are to be included in the application package, which is sent
to the regional Early Childhood Development Officer.
After reviewing the application, an Early Childhood Development Officer,
who is assigned to your facility, will complete a final inspection of the
facility. If all requirements are met, a license will be recommended.
The application and inspection report are reviewed by the Supervisor, Child
Care Licensing and Standards. Once approved, the license is mailed to the
applicant/operator.
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| Waiting Period: |
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It may take up to 3 months to
complete the application process, including all the required inspections.
After all requirements are met, final inspections and final processing
of an application can take
1-2 weeks (on average).
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| Expiry & Renewal: |
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The initial license to operate
a child care centre is issued for no more than six months. Before the expiry
date, an application for renewal form is sent to the operator. Your Early
Childhood Development Officer will inspect the facility. If all requirements
of the Day Care Act & Regulations are met, the license may be renewed
for one year for full-day programs and two years for part-day programs.
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| Price: |
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No Cost
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| Related Requirements: |
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None
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| Additional Information: |
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None
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| Legislative Authority: |
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Day
Care Act (Chapter 120 of the Revised Statutes, 1989) and Day
Care Regulations (made under Section 15 of the Day Care Act R.S.N.S.
1989, c. 120 O.I.C. 79-1556 (November 27, 1979), N.S. Reg. 195/79 as
amended up to O.I.C. 2004-363 (September 8, 2004), N.S. Reg. 202/2004.
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