2. How often is the registry updated?
The registry will be updated on the 1^st and the 15^th of every month. Please note only violations that have been verified by the ministry will be found in this registry. Parents who have concerns about a child care provider should do more research and speak to the child care provider about their concerns.

The link below provides some ideas of questions you may wish to ask your child care provider.
Questions to ask Agencies and different Child Care Providers

3. What do I do if my name and/or business name is listed on the registry and I dispute your finding that I have been found to be in violation of the licensing requirements of the Day Nurseries Act?
If you feel that you have not violated the Day Nurseries Act you can write to the Director of the Child Care Quality Assurance and Licensing Branch and request a review of your file. The address is:

Child Care Quality Assurance and Licensing Branch, Ministry of Education, Early Years Division, 77 Wellesley Street West, Box 980 Toronto, Ontario, M7A 1N3 or UCCV@ontario.ca

5. What is the number of the phone line?
The phone line number is 1-844-516-6263.

6. What are the hours of operation for the phone line?
You can call the phone line between 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding statutory holidays.

7. Will simultaneous interpretation be provided for the phone line?
Information will be provided in English and French.

8. Can I leave a voicemail message if I call outside the hours of operation?
Yes. You can leave a voicemail message.

To consider your voicemail message an official complaint, please provide the provider’s address along with any information you have about the number of children in care that appear to be under the age of 10.

If you would like us to respond to your voicemail message, please provide your contact information (email and/or telephone number).

9. If I want current information, should I call the phone line or one of the regional offices? Will they have most up-to-date information?
The registry will have the most up-to-date information on all verified violations. The ministry updates the registry on the 1^st and 15^th of every month.

This information is also available by calling the phone line (1-844-516-6263).

13. What happens after a suspected violation is reported about a provider?
The ministry investigates all suspected violations reported about a provider who may be caring for more than five children under the age of 10, in addition to their own children, without a licence and/or providing private-home day care at more than one private residence without a licence. Ministry staff will treat these as a priority.

14. What does it mean when the ministry has verified a violation?
When the ministry has verified a violation, this means that a provider was providing care to more than five children under 10 years of age and/or providing private-home day care at more than one private residence without a licence. The date that the violation was verified and the status of the violation will be available on the registry.

For example: the provider “John Doe” has been found to be caring for more than five children under 10 years of age, the search result will show the date that the violation was verified and the status will either show that the provider was in compliance as of a certain date, OR, that the violation has not yet been resolved.

15. How long does the provider remain on the registry after they become compliant?
If the provider becomes compliant, the provider’s status will change to “in compliance as of a certain date”, but the previous status will remain on the registry for a period of 5 years.

16. What does the status “violation has not been resolved” mean?
This means that the ministry has verified that the provider was caring for more than five children under 10 years of age, in addition to their own children, and/or providing private-home day care at more than one private residence without a licence, and the provider has not yet come into compliance.

17. When are charges laid against an unlicensed child care provider?
It is a violation of the DNA to establish, operate or maintain a day nursery or private-home day care agency without a licence. Contraventions of the Day Nurseries Act may result in prosecution. Upon conviction, the fine is up to $2,000 for each day the offence continues, or imprisonment for a term of not more than one year, or both.

If a provider is found guilty of an offence and a penalty is imposed, the registry will show that a fine has been levied against the provider, along with the date of the fine.

18. Will referrals to other agencies (e.g. about health and safety concerns) be noted on the registry?
No. The ministry responds to complaints where a person may be providing care to more than five children under the age of 10 years without a licence and about complaints that a person may be providing private-home day care at more than one home/location without a licence.

When the ministry finds issues of concern outside of the number of children, the ministry refers these to the appropriate agency (e.g. children’s aid society, public health, fire, municipal zoning or bylaw). In the case of suspected abuse or neglect, any suspicion that a child may be in need of protection, must be reported to a children’s aid society. Ministry staff who become aware of a suspected case of abuse or neglect will call the children’s aid society and also provide the number to the person reporting their concerns.

In each case, once a referral has been made, it is the responsibility of that agency to determine appropriate follow-up action. The agency is also responsible for responding to inquiries from complainants and the public.