Child Cares

District of Nipissing

District of Parry Sound

Program Contact Information 

Environmental Health (EH) Program 

• Offers a Food Handler Certificate Course that meets the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care mandatory food safety training requirements 
• Responds to reports about animal bites and/or scratches 
• Provides education on rabies prevention 
• Monitors diseases such as West Nile virus and Lyme disease 
• Answers questions related to beg bugs, blue green algae, air quality, and mould 
• Monitors environmental spills and provides advice to the public on potential health impacts  

Communicable Disease Control (CDC) Program 

Healthy Families (HF) Program

 Healthy Living (HL) Program

Healthy Schools (HS) Program

Oral Health (OH) Program

Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPD) Program

Sexual Health (SH) Program

Clinical Information (CI)

Illness and Outbreaks

Vaccines (Immunization)

Child Growth and Development

• Looksee Checklists  

Health Unit Lending Library and Apps 

• Health Unit – Lending Library and Apps – Resources that can be borrowed from the Health Unit and apps to support learning and a healthy environment.  

Hand Hygiene

Cough Etiquette 

• Cover Your Cough Poster 

Cleaning and Disinfecting

• Cleaning and Disinfection for Child Cares 

• Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide (APH) Fact Sheet 

Diapering

• Diaper Procedures  

• Cloth Diaper Procedures  

Infection Control in Sensory Play

• Infection Control in Sensory Play   

Pets in Child Care Settings

Visits to Farms or Petting Zoos 

• MOHLTC: Recommendations to Prevent Disease and Injury Associated with Petting Zoos in Ontario
  • Animals at farms and petting zoos present the same risks as pets in child care centres. There are added hazards because the animals are unknown to you. Before visiting a farm or petting zoo, review this MOHLTC guidance document .  

Diseases of Public Health Significance (DOPHS)

• Diseases of Public Health Significance List 

• Diseases of Public Health Significance Reporting Form 

Illness Outbreaks

• Outbreaks: Information for Child Care Providers Fact Sheet 

• Child Care Enteric Outbreak Line Listing Record Form 

• Outbreak Signs 

Chickenpox

Vaccines (Immunization)

• Reputable websites for information on vaccine safety and current research addressing myths related to vaccination 
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
  • Canadian Paediatric Society
  • National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI)
  • Public Health Agency of Canada

Forms

Air Quality

• Health Unit –  Air Quality webpage 

Smoking and Vaping

• Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017 - How the Act Affects: Child Care Centres and Home Child Care 

Toys

• Health Canada’s Is Your Child Safe? Booklet  

Concussions

Head Lice

Scabies 

• Caring for Kids – Scabies  

Lyme Disease

West Nile Virus (WNV)

• Health Unit – Mosquito Bite Protection Fact Sheet 

• Health Canada – Personal Insect Repellents   

Emergency Preparedness 

• Ministry of Education – Emergency Preparedness for Ontario Child Cares 

• Government of Canada – Ontario Risks and Hazards 

• Emergency Management Ontario – Be Prepared for an Emergency 

• Health Unit – Emergencies and Being Prepared Webpage 

Hazardous Substances/Plants

• Health Canada – Information for Art Class Teachers: Chemical Safety 

• Ontario Poison Centre – Household Hazards A-Z 

• Ontario Poison Centre –  Mushrooms  

• Ontario Poison Centre – Plants

Sharps

Beaches

• Health Unit – Beaches Webpage
  • See the status of beaches across our region.
• Health Unit – Swimmer's Itch Webpage
• Health Unit – Harmful Algae Blooms Webpage

Public Spas, Pools, and Hot Tubs

• Health Unit – Check Then Go Webpage
  • View inspection results in real time.
• Health Unit – Public Spas, Pools and Hot Tubs Webpage

Weather Safety 

• Health Unit – Sun Safety Webpage
• Parachute Canada – Winter Outdoor Safety

Adverse Childhood Experiences

• Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University – Adverse Childhood Experiences and Toxic Stress

Healthy Relationships 

• Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University
  • Serve and Return Interactions
  • 5 Steps for Brain Building Serve and Return Relationships
  • Building Babies' Brains Through Play: Mini Parenting Master Class
  • Activities Guide: Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence

Mental Health Supports 

• Health Unit – Mental Health Webpage
  • Learn about mental health and wellbeing
• Health Unit – Mental Health Services Webpage
  • Find mental health services in your area
• SickKids – Mental Health Learning Hub
  • This hub includes resources on how to support children’s mental health and general well-being through physical activity, sleep and nutrition. It also provides information on the signs, symptoms and treatments of different mental health conditions.

Child Growth and Development

• Caring for Kids – Your Child's Development: What to Expect
• Looksee Checklists 

Parenting

• Health Unit – Parenting Resources Webpage

Healthy Eating and Menu Planning

• Ontario Dietitians in Public Health – Menu Planning & Supportive Nutrition Environments in Child Care Settings: Practical Guide
  • This Practical Guide includes information for child care providers on menu planning, food and beverages that should be served, appropriate portion sizes for different age groups, sample menus and templates as well as strategies to create a supportive nutrition environment.
• Ontario Dietitians in Public Health – Child Care Resources
  • These child care nutrition resources were created by Ontario Dietitians in Public Health to support child care providers in planning and preparing healthy food for children in their care. They reflect current best practices for creating supportive nutrition environments in the child care setting and will help providers meet the food and drink requirements set out in the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 (section 42 of Ont. Reg. 137/15).

• Health Unit – Breastfeeding Webpage
• Dietitians of Canada – Introducing Solid Food to Your Baby
• Foodland – Seasonal Fruit and Vegetable Availability Guide
  • See when Ontario fruits and vegetables are in season.
• Health Canada – Mercury in Fish
  • Make informed choices about fish.

Temperature Log

Physical Literacy

• Active For Life – What is Physical Literacy?
  • Information on the physical literacy life cycle, how physical literacy is developed, and the benefits of being physically active.
• Active For Life – Activities for Kids
  • Fun activities to help children develop the fundamental movement skills that provide an early foundation for physical literacy, sortable by age and movement skill.
• Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years (0-4 years): An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep
  • The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years combine physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines into one, and include sleep, showing the interrelationship between all three behaviours.
• Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Children and Youth (5-17 years): An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep
  • The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth are evidence-based guidelines to address the whole day.
  • CCCF-FCSGE – Exploring Nature with Children
  • Information and resources on outdoor play.
• OutsidePlay.ca
  • OutsidePlay.ca was created by a group of experts to help parents and communities reverse the trend that is limiting children’s chances to play outside and take risks in play.
• Canadian Public Health Association – Risk, Hazard, and Play: What are Risks and Hazards?
  • This resource defines risks and hazards, identifies strategies to balance risks and hazards, and the need for risky but hazardless playgrounds is discussed.
• Health Unit – Lending Library Physical Activity Resources
  • The Health Unit offers Lending Library Resources that can be borrowed from the Health Unit, as well as suggested apps to support learning. Check out the section labelled Physical Activity to see resources available to borrow.

Dental Health

• Ministry of Health – Healthy Smiles Ontario Resource Guide
  • The guide includes information on what services are covered, how to enrol, how to replace lost cards and how to update your client information.
• Health Unit – Dental Clinic for Eligible Children Webpage
  • Information on the Health Unit Dental Clinic and dental services for children 17 years and under.

E-laws and Regulations

• Ontario Ministry of Education
• MOE: Child Care Licensing Resources
• Child Care Rules in Ontario
• Child Care Centre Licensing Manual
• Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014, S.O. 2014, c.11, Sched.1 (CCEYA)
• Health Protection and Promotion Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.7
• O. Reg. 135/18: Designation of Diseases under Health Protection and Promotion Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.7
• O. Reg. 137/15: General under Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014, S.O. 2014, c. 11, Sched. 1
• O. Reg. 493/17: Food Premises under Health Protection and Promotion Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.7
• Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002, S.O. 2002, c. 32
• Hazardous Products Act R.S.C., 1985, c. H-3
• Building Code Act, 1992, S.O. 1992, c. 23
• O. Reg. 213/07: Fire Code under Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997, S.O. 1997, c. 4
• Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017, S.O. 2017, c. 26, Sched. 3
• Ontario Regulation 243/07 - Schools, Private Schools and Day Nurseries
• Immunization of School Pupils Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. l. 1

Resources for Francophone and Indigenous Professional Learning

• Firefly
  • Supports professional learning for child care and early years staff in First Nation communities
• The Ontario Aboriginal Head Start Association
  • Supports professional learning for  child care and early years staff in urban Indigenous settings
• l'Association francophone à l'éducation des services à l'enfance de l'Ontario (AFESEO)
  • Supports professional learning for child care and early years staff in Francophone settings.