FEE SUBSIDY PROGRAM

High quality child care plays a key role in promoting healthy child development and helping children arrive at school ready to learn. It is also an essential support for many parents, helping them to balance the demands of career and family while participating in the workforce, or pursuing education or training.

As of January 2007, child care eligibility is determined through the Income Test Model. The current model is different than the previous model in that eligibility is based on income only and the applicant�s income is verified utilizing the most recent Notice of Assessment. The Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services made this change to support the vision of improved access to child care with the expectation that, more families will be eligible to receive a child care fee subsidy, giving more children access to high quality early learning.

All new clients now require a Notice of Assessment as verification of income in order to complete an application for child care fee subsidy.

Participants in employment assistance activities under the Ontario Works Actmay be eligible to receive fee subsidy funding for children up to 12 years of age or under 18 years of age for children with special needs.

Participants in Employment Assistance activities may be eligible to receive Fee Subsidy for the hours they participate in one or more of the following approved activities:

Employment
Attendance at a training program
Attendance at an educational program
Any other employment assistance activity under the Ontario Works Act that is documented in his/her participation agreement, if the parent is an Ontario Works participant, providing there is no other parent in the household who can adequately care for the child

The Learning, Earning and Parenting (LEAP) program is a targeted Ontario Works strategy that provides child care assistance and other supports to teen parents on social assistance to help them finish high school and develop parenting skills. LEAP participants are the number one priority for the fee subsidy program in the event that a waiting list for subsidized child care spaces is activated.

School Aged Recreation Programs address the child care needs of school age children. St. Thomas-Elgin Ontario Works may provide Fee Subsidies and Special Needs Resourcing for children with special needs (ages 6 to 18) who are enrolled in recreation programs and whose parents are eligible for Fee Subsidy as determined by the Income Test. In order to qualify for subsidy the recreation program must be either:

Accredited by the Ontario Camping Association; or
Affiliated with the High Five quality assurance process, administered by Parks and Recreation Ontario

Child Care FAQs

Licensed Child Care Providers In St. Thomas-Elgin