| Putting Women in the Picture
Programs Serving Women Well
Home Child Care Provider Training Program
Agency: COSTI Immigrant Services
Location: Toronto
Program Description:
The Home Child Care Provider Training Program prepares
women to operate home-based childcare businesses. The
main goals of the program are 1) to enable immigrant
women to become self-employed in their own home
business, and 2) to ensure that children in home-care settings receive high
quality, loving care from trained caregivers.
This is a 15-day program. The fee is
$170 and includes a Police Clearance Check, CPR training, and
an Infant/Child Emergency First Aid course. Upon
successful completion, the women receive a Certificate
of Participation and are eligible to apply to work
through a licensed Home Child Care Agency or may offer
childcare privately as independent home childcare
providers.
The curriculum
includes information on child development, health and
safety issues including child abuse, home childcare
regulations, communicating with parents, and utilizing
community resources. It also covers general business
topics, such as record-keeping, assertiveness, and
stress management.
Eligibility:
Participants must be 18 years or older, and have
a minimum English level of High Intermediate (ESL 4 or
LINC 5). Applicants are required to complete the
Registration Form independently. As a program of COSTI,
the program is attended primarily by immigrant women, but
it is open to all women regardless of their immigration
status or country of origin.
Measures of Success:
The Home Child Care Provider Training Program was started by COSTI in
1997. Now in its tenth year, it is still very popular. Most participants
learn about the program through "word of mouth" from women who complete
the course and are providing childcare. This is demonstrates that
participants of the program are satisfied with it and have success
providing home childcare.
Many program participants become home child care providers, go on to
volunteer in a child care setting to gain experience, or apply for
further education in the child care field. Many also continue with
academic or English upgrading.
Some direct quotes from participants:
"I want to say thank you for this incredible program - a lot of
knowledge about community services, expand my knowledge about children,
improve English skills, find good ideas for own family, and organize my
own business."
"I think it is very useful for Moms who want to work at home."
"This was an excellent course for people who want to be a home childcare provider.
A lot of information was given which was
educational. Please keep up the good work."
Why It Works:
Some reasons why the program works are integral to the topic of caring
for children. Most women who attend have children of their own and can
relate to the topics discussed. Many report that the course helps them
with their own kids. The business of home childcare is a good fit for
women who prefer to remain in the home to raise their own children.
Having fun is an important aspect of childcare. The program
coordinator/instructor works hard to incorporate a playful, positive and
cooperative attitude into all aspects of the course. She also has found
that small acts -- for example, giving participants the key to her
office so they may pray or use the telephone -- increases respect and
trust among the women and greatly enhances group cohesion.
The training embraces an adult education approach in which participants
are responsible for their own learning. Participation is encouraged.
Personal experience is welcomed and incorporated into the learning. The
groups are small (16 participants) and everyone is on a first name
basis. There are many opportunities for one-on-one with the program
coordinator and participants are invited to contact her for information,
advice, and references after the course is finished.
For many immigrant women, lack of English fluency is a barrier to
finding employment. This program provides an income opportunity for
women who may otherwise be excluded from the job market.
The program is also successful because it is very short in duration and
inexpensive. The start-up costs for a home childcare business are also
relatively low. Many free resources are available throughout Toronto,
such as book and toy libraries, family drop-in centres, and Ontario
Early Years Centres.
Another important reason why the program works so well is the
participants themselves, who, like most people who want to work with
children, are very nice people!
Challenges:
The main challenge for the program is the inability to meet the training
needs of women whose English language skills are lower than the course
requires. The program is taught only in English, and this is not likely
to change. Many women who attend have very limited reading and writing
abilities. Attending the program motivates some to continue ESL classes
and improve their English skills.
A significant number of applicants are turned away because their English
is so limited. Serving such women a critical issue because most
childcare in Toronto occurs in home-based settings and is often provided
by women who are excluded from other employment because of their
language limitations. While home childcare can be of excellent quality,
many women who already provide such care do not speak English well
enough to attend the training.
Financial constraints are challenge for this program as well.
Ironically, the program does not provide childcare and many women are
not able to attend as a result. The program is offered at only one COSTI
location. Women travel very far to take the course, from suburban
Toronto and even from Peel and York Regions. The size of the classroom
is small. There is only one instructor/program coordinator, who is
limited in her capacity to connect with other programs and services in
the city that serve parents and child caregivers, or to attend
professional development opportunities.
Two changes have been incorporated into the program. Because it is such
a short and compact program, attendance and punctuality are now
requirements to receive the certificate. There is some flexibility to
this: participants may be absent for valid reasons, and are allowed to
make up the missed classes in the next session. This expectation has
given the participants a greater sense of respect for the course
content.
Another recent change was the result of several months of surveying
participants. The program length has increased from 12 to 15 days, as of
May 2007. The additional three days has allowed for more time to discuss
home childcare business aspects, and to increase a focus on First Aid.
The Effects of the LMDA on this Service:
This program is subsidized internally by COSTI's women's programs, and
funded by the United Way and City of Toronto. Changes to Ontario's
employment and training network have not affected this program to date.
For More Information:
Visit the
Program's page on the COSTI web site.
Contact the Program Coordinator, Lorna Sayed, at 416-534-7400 ext. 241 or sayed@costi.org
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