About
Family Home Child Care Society
Our approved Family Home Child Care Providers offer inclusive, comfortable, developmentally appropriate and regularly monitored home-based child care that is reliable, safe, nurturing, and stimulating so children can meet their full potential.
Our History
During the spring of 1988, the parents of Pictou County participated in an assessment of their child care needs. The results of this study indicated the need for an innovative, high quality program that would be flexible enough to serve the variety of families in the area. The model that offered both quality and flexibility was the Family Home Child Care model.
The Family Home Child Care Society was incorporated as a non-profit society in February 1991!
In 2021 the Society was approved for expansion to the surrounding counties (Antigonish, Guysborough, HRM) as part of the NS-Canada-Wide Early Learning & Child Care Agreement transformation.
The Society was founded to meet the need for alternative child care and now proudly provides high quality play-focused early learning for children aged 6 weeks to 12 years in approved Family Child Care Homes in more communities.
Our Mission
The mission of the Family Home Child Care Society is to provide accessible, affordable, quality child care which would create a safe, wholesome, nurturing, and stimulating environment within a home setting conducive to the social, emotional, physical and intellectual development of children from ages six weeks to twelve years.
Our Values
We value active learning, multiculturalism, inclusivity, creativity, independence, and parent involvement. We are passionate about facilitating opportunities for positive interactions between children, child care providers, staff, parents, families, the agency, our board of directors, and our community stakeholders and partners.
Parents of young children can access child care at an inspected and approved home in their community where they will find:
Family matching with child care providers who are best suited to your child’s needs
Comfortable environments with full liability insurance
Well-trained and supported child care providers
Small groups of children
Ongoing consultation from experienced family home consultants
Special activities and playgroups
Trusting and communicative relationships
Access to educational materials, toys, books, equipment and community-based resources
Our Philosophy
Through meaningful play experiences we will build on the natural curiosity and confidence of children. Their interests will inform our philosophy and be scaffolded through both intentional and spontaneous activities. We understand that children learn through play and exploration of their environment and are entitled to opportunities that support all areas of their development.
We seek child care providers who have a high level of commitment to the compassionate care and guiding of children. They provide an inclusive, safe, nurturing, and stimulating home-based environment conducive to the social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development of the children in their care.
Our family home child care agency believes in supporting children, families, and communities.
Meet our Team
Passionate Professionals
Melissa MacInnis
Executive Director
Following her love for children from a young age, Melissa graduated with her ECE diploma from IECEDS (Jane Norman College) in 1999, PSPA in 2000, and Early Childhood Admin. from MSVU in 2017.
Over the years her role has evolved from time spent as a nanny, preschool and afterschool teacher, and Family Home Consultant. In 2019 she became Executive Director of the Family Home Child Care Society where she is passionate about continuing her work with children, families, childcare providers, and agency staff. Melissa finds it very rewarding to see the positive impact and difference we can make by providing quality child care and early learning for children in our community.
Melissa loves everything ladybugs and has an ever-growing collection! She enjoys spending her down time relaxing and making new memories with Ricky and their two fur babies, Bootz and Shoez.
Melissa “Mel” Boucher
Bookkeeper
Although she doesn’t get the chance to interact with the children in our programs as much as she would like to, she is always happy to stop what she’s doing and welcome them in for a few minutes of fun when they happen by. Her compassion and willingness to advise and help our child care providers with their business needs is second to none.
She loves spending time outside in nature, listening to music, dancing, and crafting. She is always excited for weekly movie nights and game nights with her family (daughters Cassidy and Emily, and husband Joey). Mel’s paintings and artwork can be seen decorating the walls throughout the Family Home Child Care Society office.
Kirsten Smees
Family Home Consultant
Kirsten loves spending quality time with her family and husband Brayden, and enjoys baking at home, relaxing on the beach, and is an active member of her church.
Samantha “Sam” MacDonald
Family Home Consultant
Sam is a Level 2 ECE and has been working in the licensed Child Care sector for 23 years. She is very passionate about continuous education and professional development. Sam genuinely cares for the children and families she works with and strives to learn more every day, making her a wonderful support for our approved Family Home Child Care Providers.
She loves spending time outside whether at home hiking the trails and enjoying a bonfire, or camping with her family (husband Ben, son Samuel, daughter Lilly and puppies Simba and Rosco) … and even though her kids are cool teenagers now they’re always her top priority.
Melissa “MC” Castonguay
Family Home Consultant
She loves spending her free time adventuring, canoeing, and camping in the forest with her family (husband Robert, daughter Lily, and dog Ducky) and being a volunteer fire fighter.