Ministry of Education
Early Years and Child Care Division
315 Front Street West
Toronto ON M7A 0B8
Memorandum To: Child Care Licenses
From: Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education
Patrice Barnes, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Education
Date: November 16, 2023
Subject: Child Care Safe Arrival and Dismissal Policy - Implementation of Regulatory Changes under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014
Dear child care licensees,
We can agree that nothing is more important to parents than the safety of their children. That is why we are implementing proactive communications requirements to ensure we keep the most vulnerable children in licensed child care centres safe.
The Ministry has consulted with parents, licensees and communities who have expressed broad support for requirements ensuring our children arrive at child care safely. These are requirements that so many parents are familiar with because they already exist within Ontario’s publicly funded schools.
We are taking action to better protect and safeguard all children within our care, by announcing that effective January 1, 2024, all licensed child care programs must have a safe arrival and dismissal policy in place.
These new changes made to O. Reg. 137/15 under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 enhance the health and safety protections in licensed child care settings. This new policy must, at a minimum, set out the steps that will be taken when a child does not arrive at the child care centre or home child care premises as expected, as well as set out steps that will be taken to ensure the safe dismissal of children.
The following two complementary regulatory amendments were also made:
licensees must include a copy of their safe arrival and dismissal policy in their parent handbook; and children’s records must include records related to safe arrival and dismissal (e.g., a copy of any written permission signed by parents permitting the child to be released from their child care program at a specified time on their own, without supervision).
To help licensees who do not currently have a safe arrival and dismissal policy, the ministry has created an optional policy template that meets all regulatory requirements. This sample policy is attached and can also be found in the Tools and Resources module in the Child Care Licensing System (CCLS). In addition, updates will be made to the Child Care Centre and the Home Child Care Agency Licensing Manuals in the coming months.
While the effective date of the requirement for safe arrival and dismissal policies is January 1, 2024, licensees are encouraged to develop and start implementing their safe arrival and dismissal policy as soon as possible.
Thank you for your ongoing commitment to the families of Ontario through safe, affordable and high-quality child care programs. As always, please reach out to your program advisor if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Hon. Stephen Lecce
Minister of Education
Patrice Barnes
Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Education
c. Consolidated Municipal Service Managers and District Social Services Administration Boards (CMSMs and DSSABs) and First Nations
Attachments: sample policy template for CCC and HCCA
