For
Caregivers
To identify what services, organizations and supports
might be available to you, start your search by talking
to friends, neighbours, other caregivers and your
child care parents. Then extend your search to local
newspapers, the telephone directory and yellow pages,
and flyers and notices posted in your community.
Once you’ve found one service or organization
of interest, ask them to recommend other services.
Some sources of information, training, resources
and support that might be available in your community
include:
Caregiver Associations/Networks
Caregiver associations are run by caregivers for
caregivers, and typically are involved in the development
and delivery of information, training and other
support services designed with the home child care
provider in mind. Caregiver groups often offer
newsletters, workshops and other training opportunities,
social events for caregivers, planned outings for
caregivers and the children, start-up information
packages for those new to caregiving, bulk discount
shopping opportunities and a parent referral service.
Even linking with a small, informal caregiver group
can offer you an opportunity for exchanging ideas,
challenges and victories with others who have “been
there.”
Family Resource Centres/Programs
Family Resource Centres/Programs are community-based
facilities typically offering a range of services
to support caregivers, parents and families. Services
may include play groups and/or drop-ins, book and
toy-lending libraries, newsletters, workshops,
caregiver and/or parent support groups and child
care registries.
Toy Lending Libraries
A toy lending library may operate independently
or as part of a larger facility or program, such
as
a family resource centre. The resources and toys
available through lending libraries provide you
with an excellent, inexpensive way to access toys,
play equipment, books and videos without having
to purchase them, or to try out a toy or large
piece of play equipment before deciding whether
to buy it yourself. (It is also an opportunity
to teach children the concept of ”borrowing!”)
Toy lending libraries often also offer excellent
resources, including books and videos of interest
to caregivers and parents.
Toy lending libraries operate much the same as a public library with items
available on loan, usually for two or three week periods. Most toy libraries
charge an annual membership fee but this may be waived if it presents a financial
hardship. Some may have a mobile service that picks up and delivers toys to
your home or to a community play group on a regular basis. Many have evening
and weekend hours of operation.
Family Day Care/Family Day Home/Home Child Care
Agencies
If you choose to provide care through a family child
care agency, a number of services may be made available
to you including referrals of client families, parent/caregiver
mediation, workshops and training opportunities,
newsletters, play groups and/or drop-ins, toy and
equipment lending, provision of arts and crafts supplies
and materials, networking with other caregivers,
organized outings and social events and support from
agency staff. The services offered by agencies vary
as do the requirements of the agencies.
Community Colleges and Local Boards of Education
One-time workshops or full or part-time courses of
interest to caregivers may be available through
your local college or school board. These might
range from a Saturday seminar on starting up a
home day care presented at the local high school
site, to a certificate program in home/family child
care, or a diploma in Early Childhood Education
from your local community college. Watch the newspapers
and contact the school boards and colleges directly
to find out what is offered.
‘Connecting’ at
Home
While many caregivers may be able to access or create opportunities to go out
into the community, for some caregivers these opportunities may be limited
or restricted because of family responsibilities, geography, weather, cost
or lack of transportation.
Whether you have limited or boundless opportunities to get out and about,
all caregivers can access printed and/or video materials and even training
opportunities
on a broad range of topics in child care, and home child care in particular.
Child care and caregiver associations and agencies offer newsletters for
their members. Distance education materials are available across Canada
from some
community colleges, and countless books and videos on a broad range of topics
are available through public libraries and other sources. Whether you want
information on child guidance or development, health, craft and activity
ideas or age-appropriate books for the children - resources are abundant.
Be selective.
A magazine like Interaction, produced by the Canadian Child Care Federation,
regularly provides reviews on child care resources and children’s books
and is an excellent source of information. Ask other caregivers what books
and resources they have found useful. Go to the public library, or borrow
books and videos from your family resource centre. Your local public health
unit
or government agency responsible for child care is likely to have free fact
sheets and other literature on child care topics. If you have access to the
Internet, do a search on the child care topic of your choice. Make note of
quality websites that other caregivers, parents, or teachers have successfully
used - good websites are often reviewed in newspapers and magazines. The
Internet also provides opportunities to network with other caregivers without
leaving
your home!
Additional
Resource:
Caregiver
to Caregiver a Handbook on Developing Family Child
Care Provider Groups by
Lee Dunster
This excerpt was taken from the Family Child Care
Training Project Level 1 - Unit Twelve: Connecting
With Your Community.
