Is your child on the ONEList? Childcare in Haldimand-Norfolk is in high demand. Many parents reach out to child care centres to see what’s available. We spoke to Meagan Hill of Parkway Day Care who told us your first step is to get on the OneList.
The OneList is an online centralized child care registry, waitlist and information service. Its goal is to simplify the process of applying for child care.
The OneList allows parents to research licensed child care options throughout Haldimand-Norfolk. Parents may then apply to any number of licensed child care programs for multiple children, all at the same time. They are also able to change their application at anytime.
Hill warns that the wait times are very long. The sooner you can get on the list, the more likely you will find a spot for your child. Some soon-to-be parents are enrolling their child before they have even picked a name.
As of Feb 28, 2024, there were 1,971 children on the OneList, waiting to be placed in one of the 2,895 licensed child care spaces in Haldimand and Norfolk counties. The length of time that a child could be on the waitlist, depends on a number of factors, which can include:
– Limited availability of spaces at the preferred child care location
– Number of children on the waitlist at the preferred child care location
– Individual child care policies regarding waitlist priorities
– Number of child care locations a child is on the waitlist for
– Preferred start date for care
– A delay in registering with OneList
Hill explained that it is far more likely to get an infant space, because once a child enters the program they generally don’t leave until they age out.
It’s clear that the stress on families to find childcare is significant. Therefore, the county encourages families to look at registering with multiple child care locations. Keep in mind that the earlier you register for OneList, the more likely your child will be moved from the waitlist when a space becomes available.
To get on the Haldimand Norfolk OneList visit: HaldimandNorfolkOneList.ca
Written by Jeremy Hall