Multi-age care FAQs
Last updated on August 13, 2024A group application should be used if:
- you hold a Group or Multi-Age Child Care Licence for more than eight children, or
- the facility is in a location other than a personal residence
A family application should be used if:
- you hold a Family, In-Home Multi-Age or Multi-Age Child Care Licence for eight or fewer children in your personal residence
To see which CCOF Base Funding rates will apply, refer to the CCOF Base Funding page.
What is the purpose of the multi-age child care categories in the Child Care Licensing Regulation?
The multi-age child care categories recognize that Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) have training and qualifications specifically for the care and education of young children. The multi-age child care categories allow ECEs to care for the same number of children as they would care for in a group setting.
The In-Home Multi-Age Child Care category allows ECEs to personally provide child care for up to eight children of various ages, without rezoning their residence. This was intended to create more spaces in home-based settings and to provide flexibility in rural and remote communities where there may be fewer child care providers.
Is the amount of Child Care Operating Funding (CCOF) that licensed child care providers are eligible to receive based on their facility licence?
The main criteria for determining which CCOF Base Funding rates apply are:
- the number of children for whom child care is provided; and
- the location in which child care is provided: whether it is in the child care operator’s personal residence or a location other than their personal residence.
If a child care provider alters their residence to purposefully create a separate space for child care, will that affect the CCOF rate they can receive?
The CCOF Base Funding rate is not affected if the provider alters their residence for the purpose of providing child care. Rates are determined by the number of children for whom child care is provided and the location where child care is provided.
Refer to the CCOF Base Funding page to see which rates apply.
If a child care provider has staff who assist in providing child care, is the provider eligible for the group CCOF rate?
The CCOF Base Funding rate is not affected by the number of staff. Rates are determined by the number of children for whom child care is provided and the location where child care is provided.
Refer to the CCOF Base Funding page to see which rates apply.
Which CCOF rate will child care providers receive who are licensed to provide Multi-Age Child Care or In-Home Multi-Age Child Care?
The CCOF rate these providers will receive depends on the number of children for whom child care is provided and the location in which child care is provided.
Refer to the CCOF Base Funding page to see which rates apply.
Contact information
CCOF Program Contact Centre
8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday