Toronto/CMEDIA: Access to a tool reportedly is now available to help Parents and caregivers in Toronto choose a child care centre with confidence and stay informed about their child’s health and safety.
“Parents and caregivers deserve clear, accessible information about the safety of the child care centre that their kids go to. Now that Toronto’s ChildCareSafe site posts infection prevention and control inspection results online, this will strengthen transparency and help families make more informed choices,” said Councillor Chris Moise (Toronto Centre), Board of Health Chair
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The results of infection prevention and control inspections for all licensed child care centres have started being published online by the Toronto Public Health (TPH) at toronto.ca/ChildCareSafe, similar to the DineSafe, SwimSafe and BodySafe programs.
“Toronto Public Health is committed to transparency and accountability…We’re making inspection results accessible, understandable and searchable to support choosing child care centres that prioritize infection prevention and control.” said Dr. Michelle Murti, Medical Officer of Health.
Providing easy-to-access information about the infection control practices in licensed child care centres, this new tool includes annual inspection outcomes such as “satisfactory,” “re-inspection required” or “closure.”
Results about investigation on the complaints will also be posted on the ChildCareSafe web page where users can search by location using an interactive map.
Results will remain on the City’s website for two years.
Infection control inspections are conducted by the local public health officials at least once every 12 months at licensed child care centres in the city.
In response to complaints and outbreaks, additional inspections are completed.
These inspection disclosures are required by the Ministry of Health through a protocol in the Ontario Public Health Standards.
However, child care centres are not required to post results on-site at their facilities.
Being one of the most important decisions for parents and caregivers to choose a child care provider, high compliance with infection control standards have consistently been demonstrated by Toronto’s child care centres with nearly 100 per cent satisfactory inspection rates in recent years.
During this transition, TPH is providing training, eLearning modules and town halls to better support child care operators.
More information on how TPH protects and promotes health in child care settings is available on the City’s webpage: toronto.ca/ChildCareSafe.
