Talk to your child care provider first

If you have concerns about your child’s care, start by speaking with the staff or your child care provider. You can:

  • ask to see the program’s policy on parent issues and concerns so you understand the steps they will take
  • schedule a time to talk so everyone is prepared
  • make notes ahead of time to make sure you cover all your concerns
  • ask questions if you need something explained more clearly
  • arrange a follow-up meeting if needed
     

Direct your concern to the right authority

When to contact the Ministry of Education

In Ontario, child care programs and providers must follow the rules set out in the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 (CCEYA) and its regulations. The Ministry of Education will take action if a program or provider does not follow these rules.

For licensed child care programs, the rules cover requirements for:

  • health and safety
  • adult supervision
  • staffing and child-to-staff ratios
  • educator behaviour (including prohibiting certain behaviours)
  • programming, such as outdoor play and sleep time
  • buildings, equipment and materials (including minimum space requirements and access to toys and play materials
  • records management
  • nutrition requirements, such as meals and snacks
  • Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care fee requirements

For unlicensed child care, the rules cover requirements for:

  • providing care for no more than 5 children
  • providing care for no more than 3 children under the age of 2
  • telling parents that the program is unlicensed
  • not pretending to be licensed

Learn more about Ontario’s child care rules.

When to contact another authority

Some concerns about child care programs or providers are handled by other organizations, not the Ministry of Education. If your concern is not covered by the CCEYA or falls outside the ministry’s role, you may need to contact another authority. For example:

  • Criminal activity or emergencies: Contact your local emergency or police service right away.
  • Funding for children with special needs: Contact your local service system manager.
  • Illness reporting and sanitary practices: Reach out to your local public health unit
  • Concerns about discrimination or human rights: The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario may review these issues.
  • Employee or workplace issues: Concerns such as staffing disputes, wages or employment conditions are addressed through employment standards or other labour authorities.

Make a complaint

If your concern is within the scope of the CCEYA and the Ministry of Education’s role, you can submit a complaint to us using our online form provided in this section.

When you make a complaint, you must provide:

  • the name of the child care centre, home child care agency or home child care provider
  • the address where the child care is provided
  • a description of your concern, including how the program is not following the rules under the CCEYA or its regulations.
  • your email address

How we collect and protect your information

The ministry collects personal information contained in your complaint under the authority to collect personal information, directly or indirectly, in subsection 70 (1) CCEYA and subsection 51.1(2) of the Early Childhood Educators Act, 2007 (ECEA). The primary purpose for the ministry’s collection of this information is to administer and ensure compliance with the CCEYA, the ECEA and their regulations.

Your name and contact information will remain confidential and will not be shared with the child care provider, program, or agency unless required by law.

General details from your complaint (excluding your personal information), such as the nature of the concern, may be shared or discussed with the provider, program, or agency as part of the follow-up process.

If legally required, information from the complaint may also be shared with other authorities, such as children’s aid societies or police.

Learn more about how we collect and protect your information.

If you have further questions about the ministry’s collection and use of personal information, you may contact the manager, Investigations and Enforcement Unit:

Make a complaint