Accredited family day home agencies and licensed day care centres provide a level of excellence in child care that exceeds provincial licensing requirements. These higher standards have been developed by members of the child care sector together with Alberta Children’s Services. Accredited programs are monitored for adherence to these standards by an independent association, The Alberta Association for the Accreditation of Early Learning and Care Services. Accreditation is a rigorous, voluntary process.

How is accreditation different from licensing?

Accreditation and licensing have different functions. Licensing provides a legislated ‘floor’ below which no child care service is permitted to operate. It typically includes factors like space, range of equipment, number and ages of children, staff/child ratios and training requirements for staff. Such factors contribute to quality.

Accreditation builds on this legislated ‘floor’ to look at factors that determine quality. The emphasis is on staff practices and actual outcomes for children and families. It shifts the focus from meeting minimum standards to continuously striving towards higher levels of care.

In Alberta, regulated and approved child care programs are continually monitored by staff from Child and Family Services Authorities to ensure legislated standards and program requirements are met. The accreditation agency works with standards of excellence based on research findings and assesses child care services that apply for accreditation against these high quality standards to make a decision about conferring accreditation status.

Why is it important for child care programs to be accredited?

Research has consistently shown that the provision of high quality child care is linked to beneficial outcomes for children, families and the community. High quality child care can positively influence child development, and accreditation has been shown to improve child care by promoting high standards of professional practice.

In accredited child care programs:

• children receive care that supports their optimum development;
• practitioners have the tools they need to support and maintain high quality services;
• parents are provided with the information they need to select high quality care for their children;
• the community has some assurance that funding is being invested in quality child care programs.
• there is less staff turnover, enhanced job satisfaction, improved management and better communications.
  

For more information, please consult the Alberta Association for the Accreditation of Early Learning and Care Services at www.abccaccred.ca.