Articles
Plain answers for Canadians looking for elder care, child care, property care or pet care, and for the independent care professionals who provide it.
For parents · Child care
What should I put on a babysitter information sheet and emergency plan?
What to put on a babysitter information sheet in Canada: contacts, address, allergies, medications, routines, house rules and a clear emergency plan.
For care professionals · Child care
Do I need a licence to provide child care in my home in Canada?
Whether home child care needs a provincial licence in Canada depends on your province and how many children you care for. How to check the rule where you live.
For parents · Child care
How do I find a babysitter or nanny in Canada?
Where Canadian parents find babysitters and nannies, what to check before choosing one, how to run a paid trial, and what to put in writing before care starts.
For care professionals · Child care
What first aid course should a babysitter or nanny take in Canada?
Which first aid and CPR course a babysitter, nanny or home child care provider in Canada should take, how long it lasts and when provincial rules apply.
For parents · Child care
Should I choose a nanny, a daycare centre or a home daycare?
How a nanny, a daycare centre and a home daycare compare for Canadian families, and how licensing of home child care differs from province to province.
For care professionals · Child care
How do I become a babysitter or nanny in Canada?
How to start as a babysitter or nanny in Canada: first aid and CPR training, building experience, vulnerable sector checks, and what to set up first.
For parents · Child care
What questions should I ask a babysitter or nanny in an interview?
The interview questions Canadian parents should ask a babysitter or nanny about experience, safety, discipline and emergencies, plus the answers to listen for.
For care professionals · Child care
How do I find babysitting or nanny clients?
How independent babysitters and nannies in Canada find families: what parents check, a profile that answers them, referrals, quick replies and a first visit.
For parents · Child care
What is a vulnerable sector check, and how do I ask my nanny or babysitter for one?
What a vulnerable sector check is, what it shows, how a babysitter or nanny gets one in Canada, and how parents can ask for one without relying on it alone.
For care professionals · Child care
How should I set my babysitting or nanny rates?
How babysitters and nannies in Canada can set rates: what a rate must cover, what changes it, how to present it clearly and how to raise it with families.