WHY CHOOSE AN INDEPENDENT LICENSED CHILD CARE PROGRAM?

Independent licensed child care programs are licensed by the Ministry of Education, but are owned and operated by an independent entity. Some of these programs are run as small businesses. Other independent licensed programs are run as stand-alone not-for-profit corporations, governed by a board of directors and run by an executive director. Whether commercial or not-for-profit, independent licensed child care programs are vital to the well-being of Ontario's children and families.They make it possible for parents to choose the kind of  teaching style, learning environment and early years curriculum they feel is the best fit for their children.  Independent licensed child care programs offer other unique advantages for families as well:  - More personal attention and responsiveness due to smaller centre size.- Genuine commitment to offering good service, due to the owner/operator's vested interest in the centre.- The centre staff generally has more freedom to innovate and to develop flexible solutions that really work for families.- The owner/operator has the authority to make decisions immediately.- Many independent licensed centres offer extended hours or other enhanced services, such as low-cost family meals, bag lunches to go and extra-curricular activities.

Why Choose An ADCO Member Centre?· When a  centre is a member of ADCO, the owner/operator has rapid access to a network of hundreds of other child care owner/operators across Ontario all of whom are willing to offer insight and expertise into complex care situations.- ADCO membership is voluntary. ADCO owner/operators pay annual dues to give them access to peer networking and support, to be kept current on issues that may affect the families they serve, and to stay informed about new learning resources and specialized equipment to help them serve children better.- ADCO members have access to affordable training opportunities to continually enhance their skills as owner/operators and enhance the capacity of their centres to meet community needs.- Of the ADCO member centres that are run as small businesses, more than half are owned and operated by a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE). Other ADCO owner/operators have advanced degrees in early childhood studies, child development and education. Some are former school teachers or nurses. Others bring additional areas of expertise to their centres, such as environmental science, engineering, mathematics and computer science. - ADCO members come from all over the world. But, no matter where they are from or what their educational backgrounds are, ADCO members share a passion for excellence in early education and care and genuinely want to make a difference in their communities.