Types of Early Learning and Child Care

In the NWT, there are two types of early learning and child care: licensed and unlicensed.

Licensed Early Learning and Child Care

Licensed early learning and child care programs provide care for children from birth to 11 years old while following standards that ensure the quality, care, instruction, and supervision of children in their care. Licensed programs are regulated by the Government of the Northwest Territories, and program operators must meet legislated standards and be inspected annually. In the NWT, a program operator is required to obtain a license to offer services to more than four children.

Families whose children attend licensed programs can benefit from the average of $10 a day child care.

There are two types of licensed programs: centre-based and family day homes.

Licensed Centre-based Programs

Centre-based programs refer to early learning and child care facilities that care for groups of children and operate in a space other than a private residence. They typically have many staff members who care for children. These licensed programs include full-time and part-time centres, preschool, Aboriginal Head Start, and after-school programs. Non-profit societies, Indigenous Governments, community-based organizations, and education bodies or schools operate them. Licensed out-of-school programs fall under this category as well but are often reported as a separate category because they only serve children who are registered in full-time school, 11 years old and younger.

Family Day Homes

A family day home is a type of early learning and child care service that is run by a self-employed individual from their own personal residence. A family day home is a home-based business. Family day home operators are permitted to care for a maximum of eight children, which includes their own children. This number includes up to two infants, four preschoolers, and two out-of-school children.

Types of child care spaces

Licensed spaces exist in licensed programs. Licensed early learning and child care programs offer three types of spaces:

  • Infant spaces for ages 1 to 23 months.
  • Preschooler spaces for ages 2 to 5 years old not enroled in school full-time.
  • Out-of-school spaces for age 11 years and younger enroled in school full-time.

A full-time space involves child care for more than five consecutive hours per day, while part-time spaces are five consecutive hours or less.

Unlicensed Early Learning and Child Care

Not all child care programs need to be licensed. Unlicensed programs are not obligated to meet the standards and are not inspected annually by the Government of the Northwest Territories. Being unlicensed can be suitable for out-of-school programs and community-based programs, such as the 'Family & Tots' groups. However, because they aren't licensed, families whose children attend these programs do not have the opportunity to benefit from the average of $10 a day child care.

There are different types of unlicensed programs, such as unlicensed family day homes, out-of-school programs, and community-based programs.

Unlicensed Family Day Homes

Unlicensed family day homes cannot care for more than four children, including their own. It's important to be aware that unlicensed home-based programs are not eligible for funding from the GNWT.

Out-of-school Programs

Out-of-school programs are recreational programs that operate when school does not (e.g., summer camp) and are considered temporary for the duration that school is closed.

Community-based Programs

Community-based programs are early learning programs, such as 'Family & Tots' groups. They are usually operated by Indigenous governments and non-profit organizations, and families attend the program with their child(ren). 

Other Types of Early Learning and Child Care

Aboriginal Head Start Programs

Aboriginal Head Start Programs are licensed early learning and child care programs operated by Indigenous Governments in northern communities funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada and Government of the Northwest Territories that focus on early childhood development for First Nations, Inuit and Métis children and their families.

Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten 

Junior kindergarten and kindergarten are programs offered in schools with half-day or full-day options. Children must be four years old on or before December 31 of the year in which their classes are eligible for junior kindergarten, and five years old on or before December 31 of the year in which their classes are to begin to be eligible for kindergarten. These programs are optional, and they are both governed by the Education Act.

Learn more about junior kindergarten and kindergarten.