Employer: Family and Children’s Services Niagara
Posting Date: March 11, 2026
Location: All sites
Closing Date: April 10, 2026 at 4:30 p.m.
Type: Regular Full-Time
Posting Location: External – 22/26
Expected Start: July 2026
WHO WE ARE:
Family and Children’s Services has been making a positive difference in the lives of children, youth, and families in Niagara for more than a century. As a multiservice agency providing child welfare services, fostering and adoption, counselling, and childcare, the team at FACS Niagara works to keep children safe and families strong.
POSITION SUMMARY:
Under the direction of the Daycare Team Lead, the Daycare Program Assistant is responsible for providing care and supervision to children. The Program Assistant will assist with implementing an age-appropriate curriculum for the early childhood program, which is conducive to quality care and education, and with addressing the emotional, physical, cognitive, and social development of children from 18 months to 12 years of age.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Assist and implement developmentally appropriate educational programs that support the physical, cognitive, emotional and social development of children including:
- arranging equipment for various indoor and outdoor activities,
- cleaning toys, equipment and cupboards as required,
- assisting in moving and storing equipment according to the requirements of the location, and
- preparing and attending parent/teacher activities.
- Through observation, recognize unusual behaviour in children and assist the ECE with preventative or remedial action.
- Maintain working knowledge of relevant childcare issues.
- Assist with maintaining a safe, nurturing environment that is conducive to child development in all areas of the program: playroom, washroom, cloakroom, lunchroom, and sleep room.
- Carry out daily routines such as:
- Toileting,
- preparing and serving snacks and lunches for all children, and
- directing children to assist in maintaining the general tidiness of the playroom.
- Ensure adequate sanitary and housekeeping standards are maintained including.
- Vacuuming,
- loading or unloading the dishwasher, and
- other housekeeping duties as needed.
- Complete visual health and safety inspections on a regular basis.
Other Related Professional Responsibilities:
- Perform duties such as answering the phones and checking the daily log, to ensure high quality of service for families. Document messages and record parent’s inquiries.
- Keep the Daycare Team Lead informed of any situation which may have significant implications for the child, the program and/or the Society.
- Attend staff meetings during off hours as required.
- Participate in training sessions to enhance professional practices.
- Open [unlock] and close [lock] the premises as required. Keep exits clear and free of snow or play equipment as necessary.
- Exercise appropriate personal and professional behaviour.
- Adheres to professional and ethical standards and abides by applicable legislation.
- Actively upholds the principles identified in the Society’s Code of Ethics.
- Identifies individual professional developmental needs to the Daycare Team Lead in order to ensure that performance is maximized.
- Works in compliance with OH&SA, utilizing protective equipment as necessary, and attends mandatory training as required.
- Reports any hazard, missing or defective parts or equipment which may endanger self or another worker or any contravention of the OH&S Act to the supervisor.
- Reports workplace accidents/injuries in accordance with agency policies and procedures.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Diploma in Early Childhood Education or the equivalency as approved by the Ministry of Education.
- Valid Registration with College of Early Childhood Educators.
- Minimum 1 year previous experience working in daycare setting required.
- Valid standard First Aid Certificate and CPR Certificate.
- Valid G Driver’s License and access to a reliable motor vehicle with appropriate liability insurance required.
General Skills and Attributes:
- Knowledge of normal early childhood development and experience in working with children ages 18 months to 12 years.
- Knowledge of routine day care operations.
- Knowledge of the Child Care and Early Years Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act, Child, Youth and Family Services Act and agency Policies and Procedures, and the ability to meet specifications of these Acts.
- Ability to relate to and support children, families, and colleagues in a positive non-judgmental manner.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality of all information related to children, families, and staff.
- Ability to adapt to the various activities and changing needs of the program.
- Ability to work various shifts within the 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. day care operation hours.
- Ability to work independently and cooperatively as part of a team.
- Good verbal, written and listening communication skills.
- Demonstrated initiative.
- Ability to perform all physical demands of this job listed below.
- Willingness to work in the environment described below.
- Demonstrated computer literacy (MS Office, Outlook e-mail).
Physical Demands:
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to lift children up to 30 kg (65 lbs) and move indoor or outdoor play equipment up to 34 kg (75 lbs).
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to walk, stand, bend, stoop, crouch, kneel, reach, push, climb, talk, and hear.
- Mental and visual concentration is required frequently when observing the children
- The employee must be continuously alert to ensure quality care and safety for the children.
Work Environment:
- Working both indoors and outdoors occasionally exposed to sunlight and inclement weather during the minimum of 2 hours per day spent with the children in the playground or on field trips/neighbourhood walks.
- Frequently exposed to childhood communicable illnesses, interruptions, noise, bodily wastes and fluids, chemical/cleaning substances, and non-toxic paint.
- Subject to complaints and hostility from the children and their families and subjected to children experiencing behaviour management difficulties that may biting, scratching, and kicking.
- Remain at the site after 6:00 p.m. if a parent fails to pick up a child by closing time.
Please apply with your cover letter and resume by April 10, 2026, at 4:30 p.m., to melissa.haist@facsniagara.on.ca.
We thank all applicants however only those considered for an interview will be contacted. Please only apply for this position if you plan on accepting upon an offer. If you are the successful candidate, you must indicate your acceptance when the position is offered.
This job posting is to fill a new daycare vacancy.
Family and Children’s Services Niagara is an equal opportunity employer committed to inclusive barrier free recruitment and selection processes and work environments. We will accommodate the needs of applicants under the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process. Please advise the Human Resources Department to ensure your accessibility needs are accommodated through this process.
About Family and Children's Services Niagara: A lot has changed in our community and our world since the founding of Family and Children’s Services Niagara in 1898, but our organization’s commitment to safe kids and strong families holds true. We are a multiservice agency that exists to help our community thrive. Through an extensive portfolio of programming, including child welfare services, fostering and adoption, counselling, and childcare, FACS Niagara protects our community’s children, strengthens its families, and helps youth and adults achieve their full potential. FACS Niagara is an excellent option for community-minded individuals to build rewarding careers. In 2025, the agency was recognized as one of Hamilton-Niagara’s Top Employers.
