Quality, safety and compliance in licensed childcare

Overview

Alberta's licensed childcare sector has grown significantly in recent years to meet the needs of families across the province. As the sector continues to evolve, it is important to ensure that childcare programs remain safe, high quality and compliant with legislative and regulatory requirements.

The Government of Alberta is seeking input from the childcare sector on three priority areas:

• Early Childhood Educator Credentials and Training: Exploring whether current training and certification pathways adequately prepare educators for safe and effective practice.
• Safety Through Regulatory Compliance and Enforcement: Understanding factors that contribute to non-compliance and identifying opportunities to strengthen safety and regulatory compliance.
• Quality Practice and Support: Exploring how programs implement curriculum frameworks, inclusion practices and other supports that contribute to high-quality childcare.

We are gathering feedback from:

• Facility-based licence holders (daycare, out-of-school care and preschool programs)
• Licensed family day home agencies
• Family day home educators
• Early childhood educators (ECEs)
• Institutions offering approved early learning and childcare programming (post-secondary institutions, private career colleges and independent academic institutions)
• Childcare sector associations and other sector partners

Input from the sector will help government better understand:

• Workforce readiness and training needs
• Challenges related to regulatory compliance
• Factors that contribute to critical incidents and non-compliance
• Supports needed by educators, licence holders and agencies
• Quality practices that support positive outcomes for children and families

Take our surveys

You can share your feedback by completing the survey that best reflects your role and experience within Alberta's childcare sector. Feedback on multiple surveys is welcome for those with multiple roles. 

If you are filling out multiple surveys, be sure to return to this page to select the correct links. Do not submit from the same link more than once.

Parents and members of the public who wish to share feedback may also complete the parent survey.

Surveys will be available until September 25, 2026.

• Facility-based licence holder survey
• Licensed family day home agency survey
• Family day home educator survey
• Early childhood educator survey
• Early learning and childcare institution survey
• Sector association survey
• Parent survey 

Connect with Education and Childcare directly if you have questions or have identified errors with the surveys:

Email: [email protected]   

Related

• Early Learning and Child Care Act
• Early Learning and Child Care Regulation
• Certification Guide for Early Childhood Educators
• Family Day Home Standards Manual for Alberta