Parents and caregivers in Toronto now have access to a tool to help them choose a child care centre with confidence and stay informed about their child’s health and safety. Toronto Public Health (TPH) has started publishing the results of infection prevention and control inspections for all licensed child care centres online at toronto.ca/ChildCareSafe, similar to the DineSafe, SwimSafe and BodySafe programs.
This new tool provides easy-to-access information about the infection control practices in licensed child care centres including annual inspection outcomes such as “satisfactory,” “re-inspection required” or “closure.” Complaint investigation results will also be posted on the ChildCareSafe webpage. Users can search by location using an interactive map. Results will remain on the City’s website for two years.
Local public health officials conduct infection control inspections at least once every 12 months at licenced child care centres in the city. Additional inspections are completed in response to complaints and outbreaks. The Ministry of Health requires these inspection disclosures through a protocol in the Ontario Public Health Standards. However, child care centres are not required to post results on-site at their facilities.
Choosing a child care provider is one of the most important decisions for parents and caregivers to make. Toronto’s child care centres have consistently demonstrated high compliance with infection control standards, with nearly 100 per cent satisfactory inspection rates in recent years. To better support child care operators during this transition, TPH is providing training, eLearning modules and town halls.
More information on how TPH protects and promotes health in child care settings is available on the City’s webpage: toronto.ca/ChildCareSafe.
Quotes:
“Parents and caregivers deserve clear, accessible information about the safety of the child care centre that their kids go to. Now that Toronto’s ChildCareSafe site posts infection prevention and control inspection results online, this will strengthen transparency and help families make more informed choices.”
– Councillor Chris Moise (Toronto Centre), Board of Health Chair
“Toronto Public Health is committed to transparency and accountability. This new ChildCareSafe tool gives parents and caregivers the information they need to make informed decisions about child care options. We’re making inspection results accessible, understandable and searchable to support choosing child care centres that prioritize infection prevention and control.”
– Dr. Michelle Murti, Medical Officer of Health
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