Alberta introduces legislation aimed at strengthening childcare safety, holding providers accountable

Recent instances of compromised child care safety in Alberta have pushed the government to increase accountability and transparency in the sector through an amended bill tabled Wednesday.

The government says proposed changes to the Early Learning and Child Care Amendment Act would strengthen the government’s ability to hold non-compliant childcare providers accountable and speed up the ability to address issues in care. The bill also works to uphold the public’s trust in the childcare system, according to the province.

Alberta’s child care licensing team would have the ability to impose financial penalties on license holders and educators who jeopardize child safety and who don’t meet quality standards.

These amendments would bring Alberta in line with other jurisdictions in Canada, according to the province.

Currently, the Act only gives the statutory director the ability to issue, renew, vary and cancel a license for a facility-based childcare program, as well as family day home agencies. The statutory director is also responsible for the certification of early childhood educators and general oversight of the child care system.

Under new law, the statutory director would be able to cancel or refuse to issue or renew a facility-based license or a family day home license, temporarily close a facility or a portion of a facility, suspend a family day home agency license and issue a probationary license, and push a provider to amend or revise their program plan.

Amendments would also allow changes to make sure parents have easy access to important information in addition to non-compliance notices posted online. Family day home agencies will have to post information and notify the programs they oversee of any enforcement actions they are subject to.

Parents would be able to access the certification status of early childhood educators and stop orders against unlicensed providers.

Amendments would also allow the government to address specific issues at a child care facility while allowing for the temporary closure of only part of a program, rather than closing the entire program. The province says this would help minimize impacts on parents and children.

All facility-based license holders would also have to comply with applicable zoning, health, and safety legislation under the new law. This is a recommendation from the Food Safety and Licensed Facility-Based Child Care Review Panel.

Also of concern are various administrative issues that would be addressed through the amended bill.

Among those is the ability for certified 16 and 17 year old’s to work in ratio under adult supervision, enabling the public disclosure of early childhood educator certification status, allowing the statutory director to create standards for family day homes, and allowing the Minister to appoint members to an appeal panel.

Krystal Churcher, chair of the Alberta Association for Childcare Entrepreneurs, is happy to see the government pay close attention to the industry. A sentiment that is echoed by the Association of Early Childhood Educators of Alberta (AECEA).

Churcher is particularly excited to see the government allow 16 and 17-year-olds to work in the field.

“We’re in such a crisis right now for staffing,” she says. “This will bring some life back into our sector.”

“Hopefully those people coming in a 16 and 17 want to continue and get their full certification and stay in the sector.”

She says other aspects of the bill, which focus on regulating food service safety, will go a long way in preventing situations like last year’s E.coli outbreak.

Concerns about childcare safety heightened

Several child care centres across the province have been subjected to closures in months past for varying health and safety violations.

In August, three Calgary daycare programs were forced to close their doors after the government said they posed an “imminent danger” to the health and safety of kids.

Earlier this month, two daycares in Edmonton were closed over safety concerns.

The province has said compliance issues are often found through routine inspections of licensed child care programs and the goal is to work together to ensure centres are following the rules.