Early childhood care and education in Canada: Provinces and Territories 1998

Legislation

Alberta. Legislative Assembly. Social Care Facilities Licensing Act. Chapter S-14, 1980. As amended, 1994.

Alberta. Legislative Assembly. Alberta Day Care Regulation 333/90 as amended to Chapter S-14, 1980.

Provincial official responsible for child care

Lynn Groves-Hautmann
Director, Day Care Programs
Alberta Family and Social Services
7th Street Plaza
10030 - 107th Street, 8th floor
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3E4
Telephone: (780) 427-4477
Facsimile: (780) 427-1258

Child care services

UNREGULATED CHILD CARE

Maximum number of children permitted	6
A maximum of three children may be under the age of 2 years. Figure includes the caregiver's own children under 12 years.

Out-of-school child care programs Programs for children 6-12 years outside school hours. Out-of-school care is not regulated by the province but must conform to the Social Care Facilities Licensing Act which requires compliance with building, fire and zoning bylaws, as well as assurance that the care is "appropriate". Five municipalities have set regulations for school-age care and receive umbrella funding which they may use for school-age subsidies. In other locations, there is no subsidy available and regional staff work with centres to ensure that care is adequate.

REGULATED CHILD CARE

Day care centres Seven or more children under 7 years, who are not yet in grade 1 in a group setting for more than 3 but less than 24 hours/day.

Nursery schools   Part-time programs (maximum 3 hours/day) for seven or more children 3-6 years. These include parent-cooperative nursery school programs as well as kindergartens not under the jurisdiction of the Department of Education.

Approved family day homes   Care in a private home for up to six children under 12 years with a maximum of three children under 3 years, with no more than two children under 2 years (including the provider's own children under 12 years). Providers are under contract with a for-profit or non-profit family day home agency which can operate independently or as part of a day care centre. The agencies are not licensed but are contracted by the provincial gowwvernment to administer and monitor approved family day care homes.

Licensed drop-in centres   Programs for children under 7 years which are permitted to operate with lower staff/child ratios than are day care centres. No child may attend for more than 40 hours/month.

Children with special needs

The Inclusive Child Care Program in Alberta provides for inclusion of children with special needs. Funding varies depending on the special needs of the child and the type of service required. Funds are paid to contracted operators on behalf of eligible children. The program may be administered differently across the regions. Additional training for staff working with children with special needs is not required in legislation.

Aboriginal child care

Child care centres on-reserve are not licensed. However, on-reserve child care centres are eligible for federal gowwvernment funds equivalent to parent subsidies if they meet provincial licensing standards.

There are 14 approved child care centres on-reserve, with a capacity of 740 spaces.

ALBERTA 1 2 3 4 5 6 FURTHER READING
INTRODUCTION \| FEDERAL ROLE \| THE BIG PICTURE \| THE LONG VIEW \| NOTES AND REFERENCES


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