Child Care Operators

Under Section 57 of The Child Care and Early Years Act (CCEYA) licensed child care operators must ensure that all employees are immunized as recommended by the local Medical Officer of Health (MOH).

For all licensed operators in the District of Thunder Bay, employees must have the following immunizations:

• Complete childhood immunization series including Td, Polio and Pertussis

• A tetanus, diphtheria (Td) booster is required every 10 years. One of these boosters should be a pertussis containing tetanus booster (Tdap)
• Combined Measles, Mumps, Rubella Vaccine (MMR)

NOTE: Polio boosters are not routinely given to adults and influenza (flu) immunization is recommended every year.

Tuberculosis (TB) Screening: required for all staff and volunteers who have lived or travelled outside Canada to a country where TB is common or to a First Nations community for more than three months. TB testing is not required for people who have lived in:

• Canada, United States of America, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand, or
• First Nations communities located in Southern Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador

Staff can submit objections or exemptions. The forms are the same forms used by children in the facility:

• A Ministry of Education Statement of Medical Exemption form. The form must contain the health care providers (physician or nurse practitioner) signature and licence/registration number. Please note this is NOT the same form that is used for children attending school. The form can be downloaded here: http://bit.ly/medical_exemption
• A Ministry of Education Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief affidavit. The affidavit must contain a commissioner of oath’s signature and contact information. Please note this is NOT the same form that is used for children attending school. The form can be downloaded here: http://bit.ly/belief_exemption

Any written objections to immunization that were obtained prior to August 29, 2016 will be considered compliant; but must be replaced by an approved objection/exemption form and notarized as outlined in the above section on exemption before September 1, 2017.

Printed copies of this manual are no longer distributed to licensed child care facilities. All new resources are marked as NEW. If a section is updated, it will be noted as Updated. Some sections have been reviewed and this is noted below.

• Infection Control Guidelines (PDF) (Updated – April 2023)
  • The following fact sheets/posters are also available:
    • Blood or Body Fluid (Updated – April 203)
    • Diapering Procedure - English | Français (Reviewed - June 2022)
    • Potty Use (Reviewed- June 2022)
    • Toilet use - English | Français (Reviewed-  June 2022)
    • Tooth Brushing Program (Reviewed - June 2022)
    • Water Play Safety (Reviewed -  June 2022)
• Symptoms That Might Suggest Illness (PDF) (NEW - May 2024)
• Food Safety Guidelines (PDF) (Updated – June 2022)
• Guidelines for Food Handling with Children (PDF) (Reviewed - June 2022) 
• Immunization Guidelines (PDF)

For questions on other topics (e.g. nutrition, physical activity, injury prevention), please contact the appropriate program area. You can find a list of program and contact information by visiting our Programs & Services page.

This resource was developed to assist operators in managing an enteric (gastrointestinal) outbreak in their facility.

• Gastrointestinal (Enteric) Outbreak Management Guidelines for Staff of Child Care Facilities (Updated - June 2022)
• Poster to alert families of the outbreak (PDF) (French) (Reviewed - June 2022)
• Line list to track the outbreak (Reviewed - June 2022)

For more information about operator requirements, please speak with the public health inspector assigned to your facility.

*This resource was updated for February, 2024.*

The goal of the Common Childhood Illnesses Guide is to assist operators with managing childhood illnesses or diseases.

The resource includes an overview of common childhood infections or diseases of concern by providing information on the signs, symptoms, means of spread as well as any exclusion guidelines that may apply for each infection. If the infection or disease is reportable to TBDHUt, it is clearly indicated on the specific disease chart provided. However, it is important to know that a health care provider must make any diagnosis.

Young children need healthy foods and beverages to support their growth, development, and well-being. Since many children spend a large portion of their day and consume several meals and snacks in child care settings, child care providers need to offer nutritious foods and supportive nutrition environments. Child care providers have an important role in helping children develop lifelong healthy habits.

These child care nutrition resources were created to support child care providers in planning and preparing healthy food for children in their care, as well as to create a supportive nutrition environment for children to eat, learn, play and grow.

• Menu Planning
  • Menu Planning & Supportive Nutrition Environments in Child Care Settings – Practical Guide (English) (PDF) *Updated March 2024*
  • Planification de menus et environnements alimentaires sains dans les services de garde d'enfants - Guide Pratique (français) (PDF)  *Mise à jour en mars 2024*

• Other child care centre resources
  • Ontario Dietitians in Public Health (ODPH)  
  • Diététistes en santé publique de l’Ontario