6.4 Supervision of Adults
Students & Volunteers
Regulation
Supervision of Students, Volunteers
11.1 (1) Every licensee shall ensure that every volunteer or student at a child care centre it operates or at a premises where it oversees the provision of home child care is supervised by an employee or home child care provider at all times and is not permitted to be alone with any child who receives child care at the child care centre or home child care premises.
(2) Every licensee shall ensure that there are written policies and procedures regarding volunteers and students that set out, at a minimum,
(a) the requirement described in subsection (1);
(b) the roles and responsibilities of the licensee and supervising employees; and
(c) the roles and responsibilities of volunteers and students.
(Ontario Regulation 137/15, under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014. © King’s Printer for Ontario, 2015)
Students on placement and volunteers must never be alone with children when in a licensed child care centre or a licensed home child care. Students on placement and volunteers must always be supervised by an employee or home child care provider. Should a student become an employee of a licensed child care organization and complete the employee orientation and training, they can then interact with children like any employee of the organization. This doesn’t include hours of placement so if a student is in a dual role of placement student and employee they can only be counted as part of the ratio during employment hours. Early years settings have policies regarding the supervision of students and volunteers. These policies will be introduced during orientations for employees, students and volunteers prior to interacting with children to help individuals understand expectations for their interactions with children.
Prohibited Practices
Licensed early years settings must ensure policies are in place to prevent prohibited practices. Policies are in place to train employees, students, and volunteers about prohibited practices and the measures for any contravention of these policies are outlined. Prohibited practices policies and procedures are part of the orientation and ongoing training programs of licensed early years settings.
Regulation
Prohibited Practices
48. (1) No licensee shall permit, with respect to a child receiving child care at a child care centre it operates or at a premises where it oversees the provision of child care,
(a) corporal punishment of the child;
(b) physical restraint of the child, such as confining the child to a high chair, car seat, stroller or other device for the purposes of discipline or in lieu of supervision, unless the physical restraint is for the purpose of preventing a child from hurting himself, herself or someone else, and is used only as a last resort and only until the risk of injury is no longer imminent;
(c) locking the exits of the child care centre or home child care premises for the purpose of confining the child, or confining the child in an area or room without adult supervision, unless such confinement occurs during an emergency and is required as part of the licensee’s emergency management policies and procedures;
(d) use of harsh or degrading measures or threats or use of derogatory language directed at or used in the presence of a child that would humiliate, shame or frighten the child or undermine his or her self-respect, dignity or self-worth;
(e) depriving the child of basic needs including food, drink, shelter, sleep, toilet use, clothing or bedding; or
(f) inflicting any bodily harm on children including making children eat or drink against their will. O. Reg. 137/15, s. 48; O. Reg. 126/16, s. 34.
(2) No employee or volunteer of the licensee, or student who is on an educational placement with the licensee, and no person who provides home child care or in-home services at a premises overseen by a home child care agency shall engage in any of the prohibited practices set out in subsection (1) with respect to a child receiving child care. O. Reg. 51/18, s. 19.
(Ontario Regulation 137/15 under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014. © King’s Printer for Ontario, 2015)
Prohibited practices are outlined in parent handbooks that all families receive when they enrol their child in a licensed child care organization. Parent handbooks contain a lot of information necessary for families to feel comfortable leaving their child in the care of someone other than a trusted family member. Parent handbooks also include information about the services provided, child care fees, the program statement, supervision measures, anaphylactic policies, how concerns are addressed, and emergency preparedness (OME, 2014). Parent handbooks may contain additional information to help families smoothly transition their child into licensed child care. Parent handbooks are typically available in digital and hard copies. Many early years settings have websites where parent handbooks can be accessed, along with a multitude of information.
Read (PDF)
Sample Parent Handbooks:
- Child Care Parent Handbook by YMCA Children’s Educational Services
- Parent Handbook by London Bridge Child Care Services INC.
