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Understand Alberta’s childcare system – For programs and providers

Learn about Alberta's childcare system and where to find important resources.

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Programs and providers

Overview

Childcare providers play a vital role in supporting families and encouraging children's development during their early years. Alberta’s early learning and childcare system offers different types of childcare programs to meet families’ diverse needs.

This page explains the difference between licensed and unlicensed childcare, defines different types of childcare programs and lists important resources for providers.

Important resources

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Childcare providers should get to know the following documents, which include key definitions and requirements for providing childcare in Alberta:

  • Early Learning and Child Care Act – legislation that provides the authority to license, inspect and monitor childcare programs in Alberta.
  • Early Learning and Child Care Regulation – outlines the minimum standards licensed childcare programs must meet, such as health, safety, quality and supervision requirements, as well as enforcement processes.
  • Family Day Home Standards Manual for Alberta (home-based childcare) – provides detailed operating standards for licensed family day home agencies and individual contracted educators. This includes requirements for home safety, child supervision, agency monitoring responsibilities and day-to-day program operations.
  • Licensing handbook for facility-based programs (daycares and preschools) – includes information about terms used in the legislation, how to apply for or renew a licence, inspections, enforcement, reporting incidents, staff certification and appeals.
  • Licensing handbook for family day home agencies (home-based childcare) – includes information about terms used in the legislation, how to apply for or renew a licence, inspections, enforcement, reporting incidents, staff certification, requirements for overseeing educators and appeals.

Licensed childcare

In Alberta, licensed childcare is regulated under the Early Learning and Child Care Act and Regulation as well as the Family Day Home Standards for home-based childcare. Oversight is provided by Alberta’s government or licensed agencies. These documents establish the minimum standards that licensed childcare programs must follow to ensure the safety, well-being and developmental needs of children are met.

Licensed childcare providers may be eligible for federal and provincial funding supports. Learn more about available funding and supports.

Types of childcare programs

Outlined below are the general programming structures and age ranges for the different types of licensed childcare that can be offered to families.

  • Facility-based childcare

    Licensed facility-based programs operate out of a commercial, public or private building and can include:

    • daycare: for children kindergarten age and younger, offering care for 4 or more consecutive hours per day. These programs typically operate during regular business hours (for example, 7 am to 6 pm), but exact schedules can vary by provider.
    • preschool: for children 19 months to kindergarten age, offering care for less than 4 hours per day per child. Programs focus on early learning and social development, are often scheduled in the morning or afternoon and follow the school-year calendar.
    • out-of-school care: for children in kindergarten up to age 12, available before and after school, during lunch hour and on non-school days, such as PD days and school breaks. These programs may also serve 13 to 14-year-olds with special needs. Hours vary but generally cover early mornings (for example, 7 am to 9 am) and afternoons (for example, 3 pm to 6 pm).

  • Home-based childcare

    Licensed home-based programs operate out of a private residence and can include:

    • family day homes: for children aged 12 and under, depending on the provider. Family day homes are run by a family day home educator who can offer childcare in their home for up to 6 children, not including their own. Approved family day home educators are not licensed directly by the government – instead, they operate under contract with a licensed family day home agency.
    • family day home agencies: agencies do not provide direct childcare. Their role is to recruit, train and support family day home educators. Agencies monitor each family day home to make sure they follow the Family Day Home Standards and the Act and Regulation. Agencies may also collect and manage parent fees and conduct marketing activities on behalf of family day home educators.
    • group family childcare: for children aged 12 and under, depending on the provider. Group family childcare programs are operated by two or more providers, caring for up to 10 children. This type of program is uncommon, as new licences are no longer being issued, but existing programs continue to operate.

Unlicensed childcare

Unlicensed childcare is not monitored by the government and does not qualify for funding supports. Unlicensed providers may care for up to 6 children (not including their own) and must provide a safe environment. Examples of unlicensed childcare include:

  • nannies
  • private day homes
  • informal arrangements with family, friends or neighbours

  • Resources for unlicensed providers

    While unlicensed providers operate independently, there are tools and networks available to help them offer safe, high-quality care in their home. Start by reviewing:

    • Providing childcare in your home – guidance and best-practices for offering childcare in a home-based setting, including space setup, daily routines and health and safety practices.
    • Alberta Dayhome Support Network (ADSN) – community-based network for unlicensed childcare providers, which offers guidance, peer support and access to helpful resources.

    Learn more about starting a licensed childcare program or approved family day home to access government supports and funding.

  • Government enforcement and stop orders

    Alberta’s government can investigate complaints about unlicensed childcare providers when there is reason to believe that:

    • a person is providing care to more than 6 children (not including their own), or
    • there is an imminent threat to the health, safety or welfare of any children to whom the person is offering or providing care.

    If either of these are confirmed, the Ministry of Education and Childcare will issue and enforce a ‘stop order’ (a legal directive to stop providing childcare). In this situation, parents with children attending the unlicensed provider will be notified of the stop order. Search for stop orders using the Unlicensed Child Care Stop Order Lookup Tool.

    In addition to stop orders, unlicensed childcare providers who fail to meet the requirements of the Early Learning and Child Care Act may be issued an ‘administrative penalty’ (a financial penalty). These penalties may also be issued to licensed providers. Visit Administrative penalties to find, pay or appeal a penalty.

To learn more about how the government supports transparency and accountability in Alberta’s childcare system, visit Quality, safety and compliance.

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