Group Family Child Care Homes vs Family Child Care Homes vs Daycare Centres (Saskatchewan)

When you are looking for child care in Saskatchewan, these three terms come up a lot:

• Family child care home (what many parents call a home daycare)
• Group family child care home (a home setting with more capacity and support)
• Child care centre (what most people mean by a daycare centre)

They can all be great options. They also feel very different day to day. This page is the quick comparison we wish every parent got on week one.

If you are still fuzzy on what “regulated” means, start here first: Regulated vs Unregulated Child Care in Saskatchewan (A Parent-Friendly Guide).

Quick comparison (the part you came for)

Type	Setting	Typical staffing	Saskatchewan capacity basics	What it can be best for
Family child care home	A home	1 provider	1 provider may care for up to 8 children (with age mix limits)	Smaller group feel, one primary caregiver, often flexible for siblings
Group family child care home	A home	Provider + adult assistant	Can accommodate up to 12 children (with an adult assistant, and age-based requirements)	Home feel with another adult present, a bit more stability for sick days and breaks
Child care centre (daycare centre)	A dedicated centre	Multiple educators	Licensed for a set capacity; staff-to-child ratios apply by age group	More staffing depth, multiple rooms/age groups, sometimes more structure and programming

The exact setup can vary by program, but the table above is usually the difference parents notice.

Family child care homes (home daycares)

In Saskatchewan, a family child care home is child care provided in a home environment. Some are regulated and some are unregulated, but the day-to-day experience is usually similar: it is a smaller group, in a home, with one main caregiver.

What Saskatchewan’s rules say (high level):

• The Government of Saskatchewan notes that one provider may care for a maximum of eight children, and the allowable mix depends on the ages of the children (infant/toddler, preschool, school age).

What parents tend to love:

• Your child often bonds strongly with one caregiver.
• Drop-off can feel calmer, especially for younger kids.
• Mixed ages can be a sweet thing when it is well-run (older kids help set the tone).

What to ask on a tour:

• How many children are here each day, and what ages?
• What is the plan if the caregiver is sick or has an appointment?
• How are naps handled (sleep space, routines, supervision)?
• What does outside play look like in winter and on smoke days?

If you want a simple set of tour questions you can re-use anywhere: Saskatchewan Daycare Tour Companion.

Group family child care homes (the middle option)

Parents often find group family homes by accident. You think you are looking at “a home daycare,” then you learn there is a second adult and a bigger group size.

This can be a genuinely good middle ground: still a home setting, but with more adult support built into the day.

What Saskatchewan materials say (high level):

• The Government of Saskatchewan’s family child care provider brochure notes that a Group Family Child Care Home can accommodate up to 12 children (including the provider’s own children under age 10), with the help of an adult assistant, and with further requirements depending on the ages of the children.

What parents tend to love:

• Another adult can mean better coverage for diaper changes, meals, and transitions.
• There is often less “everything depends on one person” stress for parents.
• It can feel more social for kids who thrive in a busier room.

What to ask on a tour:

• Is the assistant there every day? What happens if they are away?
• Who is responsible for what (meals, diapers, outdoor play)?
• How do you manage two adults having a consistent approach to behaviour and routines?

Child care centres (daycare centres)

Centres are usually what people picture when they picture daycare: multiple staff, separate rooms, and a dedicated facility.

In Saskatchewan, the Government of Saskatchewan lists staff-to-child limits for centres by age group. For example, one worker can care for a maximum of 3 infants, 5 toddlers, 10 preschool-age children, or 15 school-age children (with exceptions in specific circumstances identified in the regulations).

What parents tend to love:

• Staffing depth: there is usually someone to cover when a staff member is away.
• More space and equipment (especially for active preschoolers).
• A clearer “centre calendar” rhythm that can help some families.

What to ask on a tour:

• What room would my child be in, and what is the actual ratio in that room most days?
• How do you handle transitions (new educators, moving rooms, drop-off)?
• What is the illness policy, and how is it enforced?

How to choose (a practical way to decide)

If you are stuck between two options, try this quick gut-check:

1. Does my child do better with one consistent adult, or multiple adults?
2. Do we need maximum schedule flexibility, or is predictability more important?
3. Is the backup plan solid? This matters most in home-based care.
4. Does the day actually fit our family? Meals, naps, outdoor time, commute.

And here is the honest part: when waitlists are long, it is reasonable to broaden your search across types. Many families start with “centre only” and end up very happy in a regulated home setting they might not have considered otherwise.

If you want a step-by-step search plan: Saskatchewan Daycare Playbook 2025

Find child care (without losing track of who you contacted)

• Start a daycare search: Start your daycare search
• Browse Regina daycares: Regina daycare directory
• Browse Saskatoon daycares: Saskatoon daycare directory

Sources

• Government of Saskatchewan: Child Care in Saskatchewan (centre ratios; family child care home eight-child limit and age mix)
• Government of Saskatchewan: Family child care provider brochure (group family child care home up to 12 children with an adult assistant)