Much as their parents may wish, few kids actually think “safety first.” Which is why British Columbia’s child care centres are monitored by health authorities to ensure operators are doing as much as possible to reduce the risk of injury or worse.
Anyone caring for three or more kids who aren’t related to them and aren’t all siblings need a licence to operate. Inspections occur at least annually, but violations of regulations can increase a facility’s risk rating, which in turn trigger more inspections.
You can find out how each licenced child care facility has fared on its recent inspections through the Fraser Health website (see link below).
Inspectors check to see if staff are qualified, if there are appropriate staff-to-child ratios, whether programming is adequate, and whether all equipment and furniture is safe.
“Licensing Officers pay particular attention to ensure that children are cared for in a healthy and safe environment,” the Fraser Health website says.
Click here to see each local childcare facility’s latest inspection reports.
For more information on licencing, click here.
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