Darling Child Care+

01/30/2024

We aren’t the most active on here but we regularly have inquiries through social media, so we wanted to let you know that we’re taking a break!

Hoping to return with a clearer vision, a rested nervous system, and useful resources for you.

Feel free to share what you’d like to see from us in the comments!

Take care of yourselves 💛

[+ you can always email us: [email protected]]

05/18/2023

Summer is right around the corner! Things really slow down for darling+ then, as people go on holidays, work summer hours, and generally have their child care plans in place for September.

If you’re still working on your plan/searching for child care employment, now is a great time to get in touch with us, as we still have a month before the summer holidays.

Send us a message or email [email protected] 💛

And to finish up, some important dates for spring/summer in Toronto:
Ferries to the island are operating on a Summer schedule as of now!
May 20 - splash pads open
May 27/28 - Doors Open Toronto
June 11 - Toronto Challenge (walk/run to raise funds for Toronto seniors)
June 17-24 - outdoor pools open on a partial schedule (full summer schedule as of June 30)
June 30 - wading pools open
June 24-July 2 - TD Jazz Fest
August 21 - Open Streets Toronto

Let us know what you’re excited for this summer in the city below!

12/24/2022

Super last minute gift? Or just thinking about how you can support a loved one with little ones next year?

We are happy to offer the gift of a peace of a mind, of a date night out, of an addition to a family... child care!

For those who would like to unlock the darling+ suite of services for someone else, we are offering 20% off, valid throughout 2023.

As a reminder, we support the mindful matching of families + child caregivers for the following roles:
* on call
* part-time
* full-time
* short term

Let us know if you have any Qs and send us a message or email [email protected] for more info!

Happy Holidays!

07/19/2022

✨ Announcing our new seasonal newsletter! ✨

Our darling+ community just received the Summer Edition + the response has been great.

If you're interested in all things children, families, child care, etc., be sure to sign up at darlingchildcare.com/links!

In this issue we talk about our new offerings, teammates + partnerships, + share our top Summer in the City activity ideas!

We can't wait to hear what you think and are already scheming for the Fall Edition!

xx darling+

07/14/2022

Our first newsletter is going out this week! ✨
Have you signed up yet? 👇

darlingchildcare.com/links

07/08/2022

Hello darling+ community!

If we don't know each other yet, my name is Robin Taylor [she/her] + I'm the founder of Darling Child Care+.

Some things you should know about me:

🌱 I'm happiest outdoors
🎸 I'm also a musician
🐣 + I'm expecting my first baby any day now!

It's been almost a year of building this child care matching + early childhood education consulting agency.

I am incredibly privileged to be able to step back + leave my business baby in the capable hands of Nita + Patrícia, while I care for the newest [+ littlest!] member of the team. 💕

This photo was taken by my sweet husband, Graham. We are so excited to grow our family together.

Thanks to all of you for being part of the darling+ community! I look forward to returning with a new perspective + gratitude for the work we do.

Let's continue making perfect matches, advocating for the child care profession, + ensuring the world is inclusive of all children and their families ✨

06/10/2022

☀ Happy June! ☀

Does anyone else feel like time is going by so fast?!

We're trying to bring this energy into the Summer.

What do you have planned for the upcoming months?

06/01/2022

We support families + caregivers in finding the perfect child care match!

Currently based in the GTA, but actively expanding to Muskoka, Collingwood, Burlington, Kitchener + across Southern Ontario.

We place for long term and short term positions, full-time and part-time hours, as well as on-call placements.

We are proud of our customised matching system and extensive vetting processes that help us make the perfect match and ensure the safety and well-being of everyone involved. As a team of child caregivers ourselves, we understand and value the importance of providing high quality, individualised care for every child.

We assist families with navigating payroll by offering a discount on services via our payroll partner, and advocate for a living wage for all of our caregivers.

Throughout your journey with us, we will provide you with resources to assist with every step of the way and are always here to answer any questions you may have. We also check in with our darling+ matches after 1 month and 3 months, during the probation period, to ensure things are going well and to offer support. You continue to have access to our team and resources for 1 year from when you are matched.

All of those in the darling+ community are vaccinated against COVID-19, have a recent Police Clearance Check, and the caregivers also have valid First Aid and CPR certifications and 2+ years of experience. We check references for our families and our caregivers.

Families pay a one-time finder’s fee and there is no cost for caregivers.

Please see https://darlingchildcare.com and email us at [email protected] for more info.

We can’t wait to find you the perfect match!

darling+ team

05/25/2022

We will discuss the ways families and caregivers can advocate together for the development of a fair child care system in Canada.

We are so excited to announce that Patrícia [a darling+ caregiver and child care advocate] and Robin [the founder of darling+ and a soon-to-be parent] will be on IG Live Thursday May 26th at 7pm EST!

With a provincial election fast approaching, we believe it is important to discuss the national child care plan in terms of what it actually means for caregivers, families, and our communities.

Do you have any pressing questions or things you’re wondering about this new plan?

Drop them in the comments or our stories and we’ll be sure to tackle them on the Live!

We hope you’ll join us!

Boutique Child Care Matching + Early Childhood Education Consulting in Toronto, ON. Supporting families. Helping child caregivers. Advocating for children.

05/14/2022

We are so excited to announce that Patrícia [a darling+ caregiver and child care advocate] and Robin [the founder of darling+ and a soon-to-be parent] will be on IG Live Thursday May 26th at 7pm EST to discuss the ways families and caregivers can advocate together for the development of a fair child care system in Canada.

With International Families Day on Sunday and a provincial election fast approaching, we believe it is important to discuss the national child care plan in terms of what it actually means for caregivers, families, and our communities.

Do you have any pressing questions or things you’re wondering about this new plan?

Drop them in the comments or our stories and we’ll be sure to tackle them on the Live!

Save the date – we hope you’ll join us!

05/06/2022

It's Mental Health Week.

The last two years have been tough on children and their caregivers.

From Beyond Blue, some words of wisdom for you...

Caregivers will be in a better position to care for our children if they look after themselves. Here are some tips:

1. Focus on the strengths you have from working with young children -- you're a pro at disinfecting, sanitizing, washing hands, etc. You've got this!

2. Be kind, compassionate, and patient with other caregivers.

3. Rely on trusted sources of information, and think about cutting back on consuming news/social media if it's having a negative effect on you.

4. Manage stress by maintaining a routine, saying "no", talk things through with people you trust.

5. Connect and engage with your community. Even going for a walk and smiling at a stranger counts!

To support the mental well-being of our child caregivers, we need:
- mutual respect
- access to relevant professional development opportunities
- fair compensation
- rewards for their efforts
- welcoming/calm spaces
- allotted time for collaboration/discussion.
[ College of Early Childhood Educators ]

We would love to hear your tips in the comments below! How can we support the mental well-being of child caregivers, and thereby children?



Alt Text: Robin holds a guitar and crouches down and smiles towards a preschool child who is socially distanced in a park during the first Spring of the pandemic.