Accreditation symbolizes quality.  “To achieve accreditation the management, staff, providers and parents undertake a comprehensive and extensive process to gather and demonstrate the necessary evidence to show that their program provides a high standard of care to the children and families it serves.” 

Recently, the agency completed this process and received accreditation status on June 29, 2005.  Our thanks to a great team of providers, parents and staff who said, “Whatever you ask…we’ll make it happen!”  Their approach to the accreditation process has been both positive and creative.  Providers have been able to prepare and complete their action plans while maintaining their individuality and sense of humour.  One provider when looking at her action plans expressed, “You know, I don’t tamper with perfection!”  Another said, “This has given me a clearer picture of how I want my day home to operate.”  “You get out of it what you put into it.”   We were heartened to hear such comments all through the process which showed that planning for improvement was familiar and that providers were already putting many things into practice.  We were amazed by the sheer volume of work that was reviewed and worked on with individual providers and the families they serve. 

Five brave and competent providers represented our agency during the site review.  Now the rest of us will need to continue the process of working to attain best practices for children.  We cannot be satisfied with minimum standards of care.  We have a new expectation for ourselves regarding the kind and quality of care we desire to offer.  It will be a continuous process of improvement for child care one step at time, one provider at a time and one employee at a time.  We are eager to complete the enhancement plan, a three-year strategic plan for improvement that we have set for ourselves.

We have asked ourselves, “Why are we committed to doing this?”  The answer is always the same, “Because it is better for children and more positive for the providers and staff who support them.” Does accreditation equal quality?  Our experience is a resounding YES!  

Source: Alberta Family Child Care Association newsletter, September 2005.

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