FAQ

If you would like your organization listed here, please contact the AECEA office at info@aecea.ca or (780) 421-7544.

Become an AECEA Board Member

Each year in September, AECEA holds their AGM. At that time we say goodbye to some board members and welcome some new ones. The call for nominees is generally sent out in June of each year, and at that time you have the opportunity to submit an application to join the board.

At the AGM in September, Professional and Student members vote on the nominees they would like to see on the board. 

Become an AECEA Committee Member

If you are unable to put your name forward to join the AECEA board, you can volunteer to be on one of our many committees. At this time, AECEA has the following committees:

• membership committee
• PD committee
• public policy committee
• conference committee
• award committee (Dr. Sherrill Brown Award of Distinction)

If you are interested in joining one of these committees, please contact the AECEA office.

There are three types of membership:

• Professional members are Alberta-certified ECEs and post-secondary educators who work in the field of early learning and child care. This category also includes staff and contractors who work for, or in support of, licensed child care programs and approved family day home agencies.
• Student members are enrolled in post-secondary early learning and child care (ELCC) programs in Alberta. Students in leadership, management, human resources, and other programs related to early learning and child care are also eligible for AECEA membership. Students enrolled in full-time ELCC studies at a publicly-funded post-secondary institution qualify for free student membership.
• Associate members are agencies or groups that support AECEA’s goals.

To obtain Professional or Student membership, go here.

To obtain an Associate membership, go here.

You can also request that the AECEA office send you an invoice so a cheque can be mailed, or payment can be taken over the phone. Please contact the AECEA office if you wish to obtain membership using either of these options.

Associate Member Benefits

• the opportunity to contribute to AECEA’s advocacy for accessible, affordable, high-quality child care delivered by a respected, well-compensated professional ELCC workforce

• a monthly e-newsletter, Networking News, that includes updates on AECEA’s activities, information about professional learning opportunities and events, links to the latest research and inspirational stories from the field

• free affiliate membership in the CCCF, which is a cost saving of $90

• access to a number of workforce and workplace related benefits and discounts, including the following:

  • a comprehensive group health benefit plan that offers life and disability insurance, coverage for prescription drugs, dental and vision care, and medical coverage for travellers

  • a 20% discount on TimeSavr, a web-based software which is specifically designed to help child care professionals and organizations manage staffing, attendance, payments, and other administrative tasks

  • access to Foster Park Brokers commercial insurance, which is tailored to the ELCC industry

  • 15% off on-site workshops through Early Childhood Development Support Services

  • $25 off T2 tax filing through UFile

• credits toward meeting the requirements for child care program accreditation

  • membership in AECEA helps child care programs comply with Accreditation Standard 5, which requires that programs “collaborate with community organizations and services to respond to the needs of children and families they serve.” 

Professional & Student Member Benefits

• the opportunity to contribute to AECEA’s advocacy for accessible, affordable, high-quality child care delivered by a respected, well-compensated professional ELCC workforce

• opportunities for personal and professional growth through networking with colleagues and leaders in the field, including access to a members-only Facebook site

• a monthly e-newsletter, Networking News, that includes updates on AECEA’s activities, information about professional learning opportunities and events, links to the latest research and inspirational stories from the field

• discounts on AECEA-sponsored workshops and events (including the popular annual conference, which is usually sold out)

• reduced fees for selected educational and professional learning offerings sponsored by AECEA’s partners

• access to a group health benefits plan (available to professional and student members whose employers are AECEA associate members)

• reduced membership fees for professional members whose employers participate in AECEA’s group health benefits plan

• AECEA’s support and organizational backing to empower personal advocacy for the recognition of ECEs as well-qualified, well-compensated professionals

• opportunities to develop leadership skills and make a difference by getting involved in the association

• free affiliate membership in the Canadian Child Care Federation (CCCF), which is a cost saving of $65

  • CCCF affiliate membership includes discounts on books and resources, weekly email updates and access to the federation’s members-only quarterly journal

• 15% off Early Childhood Development Support Services workshops

• 15% off personal tax returns through UFile

• 15% off public workshops through the Crisis and Trauma Resource Institute (CTRI) and the ACHIEVE Centre for Leadership and Workplace Performance

• Up to 40% off home and auto insurance through The Co-Operators

The levels of funding available to CDA's and CDW's through Alberta Children's Services vary based on number of hours claimed for the two consecutive months immediately prior to either the date of the expenditure or the date the application is received.

Day care and contracted family day home agency employees:

*Children's Services website - September 18, 2019 (Accreditation Funding Guide for Licensed Day Care Programs & Accreditation Funding Guide for Family Day Homes (September 2014)

Out-of-school care employees:

*Children's Services website - September 18, 2019 (Accreditation Funding Guide for Out-of-School Care Programs (September 2014))*

Employees who work in both day care and out-of-school care:

*Children's Services website - September 18, 2019 (Accreditation Funding Guide for Licensed Day Care Programs (September 2014))*

Up to 50% of your eligible amount can be used towards approved workshops and conferences.

*AECEA makes every effort to ensure this information is up to date. Please consult original documentation/website to confirm accuracy*

Professional development funding for Child Development Assistants (CDA) and Child Development Workers (CDW) is available through the Ministry of Children's Services. The funding offered through them is linked to the accreditation status of your place of employment.

*AECEA makes every effort to ensure this information is up to date. Please consult original documentation/website to confirm accuracy*

• An Accreditation Funding Grant Application and Supplementary Form B must be submitted and approved by the Alberta Child Care Accreditation Funding Program. The most current forms are always available online at www.humanservices.alberta.ca/funding.
• The applicant must complete all information on the form. Incomplete applications will not be processed and will be returned for completion. 
• The Professional Development Grant is approved for each fiscal year (April 1 to March 31), based on the date the payment was made for the expenditure. It is not based on the date the service/product was received or course was taken. For example, if a post-secondary course is taken in April 2010, but it was paid for in January 2010, the Professional Development Grant applies to the fiscal year ending March 31, 2010. 
• The Supplementary Form B must be submitted in the fiscal year to which the funding is to be applied. The deadline for submitting the Supplementary Form B is February 15, of the current fiscal year, for all expenditures in that fiscal year.
• A staff member may apply for a portion of their total Professional Development funding more than once during the year, until the grant limit for which they are eligible has been reached. 
• The funding must be used for exactly what was approved on the Supplementary Form B. A receipt must be kept by the day care program that indicates the expenditure and matches the amount and payment date as indicated on the Supplementary Form B.
• The day care program receives the grant funding on behalf of the staff member and it must be transferred to him or her (if the event was paid for out-of-pocket by the educator).

Notes to be aware of

• The Professional Development Grant may not be requested if another grant or bursary has been awarded (e.g., from Student Finance) for the same purpose.
• The grant will not be processed unless a Supplementary Form A has been submitted within the last 12 months.
•  Supplementary Form Bs received between February 15 and March 31 will not be approved for funding.
• When staff apply for course textbooks, proof of course registration and the names of the required textbook(s) must be submitted with the Supplementary Form B.
• Any funding that is spent without supporting receipts, that is not transferred to the staff member, or that is used for a purpose other than what was requested and approved on the Supplementary Form B, must be reported to the Alberta Child Care Accreditation Funding Program by using the Return Grant Funding Form

*Children's Services website - September 18, 2019 (Accreditation Funding Guide for Licensed Day Care Programs (September 2014))*

*AECEA makes every effort to ensure this information is up to date. Please consult original documentation/website to confirm accuracy*

Qualified individuals must have a valid Child Development Assistant (formerly Level 1) or Child Development Worker (formerly Level 2) certificate issued in Alberta and be:

• Working as a paid staff member or family child care consultant/coordinator in a day care, out-of-school care, or family day home agency;
• Working at least 28 hours per month for the two consecutive months immediately prior to either the date of expenditure or the date a application is received in a day care, out-of-school care, or family day home agency.
• A Canadian citizen or hold Canadian permanent resident status.

Use of the full amount of the Professional Development Grant is limited to post-secondary tuition and required course textbooks to get to the next level of child care certification. Eligible staff may choose to use up to 50% of grant funding to which they are entitled towards  registration fees for approved child care conferences and workshops. Approved conferences and workshops are those related to early childhood and school age care.

To determine if a workshop or conference is approved for funding, contact the Alberta Child Care Accreditation Funding Program:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-422-1119  (extension 2)
Toll free: 1-800-661-9754 (extension 2)
Email: cs.accredfunding@gov.ab.ca

*Children's Services website - September 18, 2019 (Accreditation Funding Guide for Licensed Day Care Programs (September 2014))*

*AECEA makes every effort to ensure this information is up to date. Please consult original documentation/website to confirm accuracy*

No, the PD funding is available to all CDS who fit the eligibility requirements.

For the 2019-2020 year of funding, CDS are eligible for up to $200.00 for workshops and conferences and up to $1,500 for post-secondary courses.

Declination related to application:

• Late funding application submission

• Too early of a submission (workshops and conference applications can be submitted a maximum of two months in advance of the start date, post-secondary courses can be submitted a maximum of four months)

• Funding topic is not approved (WHMIS, first aid, food hygiene, English courses, courses not able to related to work in child care, etc.)

• Late or not received reflection form

• Funding applied for is for a program outside of Canada

• Post-secondary course applied for is not offered by a publicly-funded post-secondary institution

• Facilitator for workshop is not an approved facilitator

Declination related to the individual applying:

• Applicant is not a CDS

• Applicant has reached their maximum funding available for that year

• Applicant is not a Canadian citizen or does not hold Canadian Permanent Resident status

• Funding applicant does not work in an out of school care, daycare, or family day home agency

• Applicant is not working enough hours to meet the minimum requirement.

  • AECEA follows the same guidelines as what Children's Services does for funding CDA’s and CDW’s in regards to how many hours an individual is required to work per month in an approved facility in order to qualify for funding. This means that an applicant must work a minimum of 80 hours a month in a licensed daycare facility, or a minimum of 40 hours a month in a licensed out-of-school program. At any point the AECEA may ask for proof to verify that a CDS is working as many hours as necessary for funding.

Please contact the AECEA office if you have questions about a declination that is not answered above.

• Leadership
• Pedagogical leadership
• Program management (human resources, financial, etc.)
• Communication (with children, families & other professionals)
• Curriculum framework (Play, participation, and possibilities)
• Children's rights and mental health
• Cultural sensitivity and diversity
• Inclusion Planning & Practice

If you have questions on if a topic would be eligible, please contact the AECEA office.

Qualified individuals must have a valid Child Development Supervisor certificate issued in Alberta and be:

• Working as a paid staff member or family child care consultant/coordinator in a child care program or family day home agency;
• Working a minimum of 80 hours a month; or 40 hours each month in a licensed out-of-school care program; and
• A Canadian citizen or hold Canadian permanent resident status.

**While CDS working as family dayhome providers, preschool teachers or working in First Nations and Metis Settlement communities do not yet qualify for this funding, AECEA is working alongside government to find ways to include them in this funding.

Applications must be submitted PRIOR to course/conference/workshop start date, or they will not be approved.

You will need:

• an electronic copy of your CDS child care qualification certificate;

• a receipt for the conference/workshop or proof of enrollment and expected tuition cost for the post-secondary course; and

• to submit a reflection form within two weeks of the completion of your course/workshop/conference.
   

Please note, we no longer accept mailed, emailed, or faxed applications or reflection forms. Everything is now completed electronically. If you have any questions, please contact the AECEA office directly.

Please contact the AECEA office. If we have prior knowledge of an event and the fact that you cannot obtain a receipt until the day of (or after), we can work together towards a solution. If you do not contact the AECEA about potential problems and wait to apply until after the start date you will be declined.

Contact the AECEA office prior to the start date and we will be able to let you know.

Purpose:

The purpose of the Leadership Bursaries are to foster future leadership capacity by enabling senior organizational leaders to participate in formal education and professional development programs that enhance their ability to lead their organization and the field. The focus will be to develop or enhance leadership skills and innovation in service delivery and development, human resource management, organizational excellence and fiscal management.

Eligibility Requirements:

For all bursaries, applicants must:

• Currently work as a senior staff member in a supervisory leadership role
• Work in a Non-Government Organization (NGO) whose primary responsibility is to serve clients through the Children Services delivery system
• Have worked in this organization a minimum of one year
• Be employed by an organization/agency that is contracted by Children Services, to provide services

Organizations must:

Have contracted funding from the Government of Alberta through Children Services and be responsible for providing direct services to clients through the service delivery system.

The ALIGN Leadership Bursary program is offering agencies a bursary up to $5,000.00 towards Agency Leadership Development. We will choose on a first come first serve bases and can offer up to $5,000.00 per agency/per year.

Criteria:

• You don’t have to be members of ALIGN, but you do have to provide services that are part of the Children Services through contract or grant
• Agency to send a short (no more than 2 pages) outline of their plan including the cost, and goals that you intend to achieve.
• When activities are complete report back as to how many people in your agency received the training and how it met your goals

Process:

• Fill in the ALIGN Bursary Application Form and attach your proposal.
• Submit to katiew@alignab.ca
• You will receive a response back to your request within 4 weeks of receiving the request.

For more information, go here.

*AECEA makes every effort to ensure this information is up to date. Please consult original documentation/website to confirm accuracy*

The purpose of this Leadership Bursary is to foster future leadership capacity by enabling senior organizational leaders to participate in formal education and professional development programs that enhance their ability to lead their organization and the field. The focus will be to develop or enhance leadership skills and innovation in service delivery and development, human resource management, organizational excellence and fiscal management. Tuition costs for non-accredited programs are a max. $5,000 and do not cover travel costs. This bursary can be granted throughout the year. This can be a course, workshop, conference etc. but must be leadership focused. Please note the intention it to support leadership courses. This NOT a practice (counselling, NMT, trauma, etc.) enhancement bursary.

Eligibility Requirements:

For all bursaries, applicants must:

• Currently work as a senior staff member in a supervisory leadership role
• Work in a Non-Government Organization (NGO) whose primary responsibility is to serve clients through the Children Services delivery system
• Have worked in this organization a minimum of one year
• Be employed by an organization/agency that is contracted by Children Services, to provide services

Organizations must:

Have contracted funding from the Government of Alberta through Children Services and be responsible for providing direct services to clients through the service delivery system.

Criteria:

• You don’t have to be a member of ALIGN, but you do have to provide services that are part of the Children Services through contract or grant.
• Send the course outline or brochure with the application.
• We require the exact costs. The agency or individual must pay for the tuition and provide a receipt. They will be reimbursed once submitted.

Process:

• Fill in the ALIGN Bursary Application Form. The ED or CEO must sign the form so we know that this is part of the plan for your agency.
• Send that to katiew@alignab.ca
• You will receive a response back to your request within 4 weeks of receiving the request.

For more information, go here.

*AECEA makes every effort to ensure this information is up to date. Please consult original documentation/website to confirm accuracy*

To be eligible the student must:

• The student must be enrolled in 20-59% of a full-time course load
• be enrolled in a program of study designated for federal part-time funding, and
• have a family income that is below the income threshold at which grant eligibility is cut-off listed in the table below.

To be eligible the student with dependants must:

• comply with all of the above; and
• have at least one dependant under the the age of 12 at the start date of studies, or 12 years of age or older requiring daily care due to a permanent disability.

Eligible students may receive up to $1,800 each school year (August 1 to July 31). Students can get this grant for each year of studies (including undergraduate and graduate levels) as long as they still qualify.

The grant amount is based on family income and family size. The grant amount gradually decreases as income increases, with the rate of reduction varying by family size. When family income is equal to or greater than the income threshold at which grant eligibility is cut-off, students are not eligible to receive any grant funding.

For more information on the Canada Student Grant for Part-Time Studies, go here​.

*AECEA makes every effort to ensure this information is up to date. Please consult original documentation/website to confirm accuracy*

The CAJG is an employer-driven training program where employers and government share the cost of training new and existing employees. Employers decide who gets training and what type of training may be needed for their employees. Eligible employers are required to contribute a minimum of one-third of the total training costs. Government contributes two-thirds of the cost to a maximum of $10,000 per trainee. If hiring and training an unemployed Albertan, up to 100% of training costs could be covered, up to $15,000 per trainee. Individual employers will have a cap on the amount of grant funding they can receive annually ($300,000) to ensure that funding will be available for as many Alberta employers as possible.

Eligible trainees under the CAJG are: Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and protected persons under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) who are entitled to work in Canada. Trainees must be residents of Alberta.

Eligible training:

• Training must be incremental, meaning that the training is in addition to the employer’s regular operational training, and would not have otherwise taken place without the grant
• Exceptions are made where the trainee is an unemployed hire who requires training, upgrading or bridging before starting the job
• Training must be instructional and result in a credential

Training duration and format:

• Minimum 21 instructional hours of training must start within 6 months of approval and be completed within 52 weeks of start date
• Training that starts before grant is approved will not be reimbursed
• Training can be delivered online, on-site, in a classroom or combined, on a part-time or full-time basis

For more information on the Canada-Alberta Job Grant, go here.

*AECEA makes every effort to ensure this information is up to date. Please consult original documentation/website to confirm accuracy*

Freehorse Family Wellness Society (FFWS) is a non-profit organization founded by a few committed and dedicated leaders of Alberta based First Nations.

A Board of Directors including First Nations people provides the leadership and direction to the management and staff of FFWS.

FFWS is currently offering a post secondary funding program on behalf of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC). Post Secondary Funding Program assists students from various Alberta First Nations whose status is the result of Bill C-31. Alberta residents from Nunavut and the North West Territories with Indian or Inuit Status are also eligible under our Post Secondary Funding Program.

Please go through their eligibility criteria to see if you are eligible to apply for sponsorship with their Program. During sponsorship, FFWS supports our students by providing tuition, books, and living allowance.

For more information and to apply, go here.

*AECEA makes every effort to ensure this information is up to date. Please consult original documentation/website to confirm accuracy*

Band funding

If you’re a Band member of a First Nation, you may be eligible for federal funding, administered through your Band office, to help you pay for your education. Here’s how to get started:

• find out how Band student support funding works
• read about this Learning Clicks Ambassador’s experience with Band scholarships

Scholarships and bursaries

• Belcourt-Brosseau Métis Awards: the largest non-governmental source of student funding for Métis students in Canada
• First Nations Training to Employment Program (FNTEP): supports the development of partnerships to create training and work experience projects that lead to employment for First Nations members
• Indigenous bursaries search tool: a searchable list of more than 680 bursaries, scholarships and incentives across Canada
• Indigenous Careers Award: valued at $2,000 per semester up to $4,000 per academic year to encourage Indigenous students to complete post-secondary studies that lead to high-demand careers in Alberta
• Indigenous Graduate Award: valued between $7,500 and a maximum of $15,000 to encourage Indigenous Albertans to pursue graduate studies in Alberta
• Indspire: the largest non-governmental funding body for First Nations, Inuit and Métis post-secondary students across Canada
• Métis and Non-Status Bursary Program: for post-secondary studies in a social services field
• Northern Alberta Development Council (NADC) Student Bursary: for students in a variety of fields of study who are willing to work within the NADC area after they complete their schooling​
• Windspeaker and Aboriginal Multi-Media Society (AMMSA) Scholarship Guide: an extensive list of scholarships and bursaries available to Indigenous students

*AECEA makes every effort to ensure this information is up to date. Please consult original documentation/website to confirm accuracy*

Muttart Bursary Program

Grants are usually awarded in amounts of less than $1,000 to cover the tuition or registration costs of courses, programs, conferences or other training opportunities. Courses or programs must be offered by a non-profit entity or a publicly funded post-secondary institution. Professional development opportunities may include:

• administrative courses – accounting, computer skills, communication, interpersonal skills, supervision, etc.
• program related courses – cultural awareness, youth engagement, counseling, community development, mentoring, coaching, pedagogical leadership, child development,  collective impact, outcome measurement, etc.
• management level courses – human resources, information technology, legal, communications, project and change management, operations, financial and accounting, fund development, etc. 

​Muttart Leadership Program

The aim of the Leadership Bursary program is to increase the capacity of senior staff, management staff, or persons serving in a senior staff capacity within these charities to contribute now, or in the near future, to leadership within or across organizations, or enhance leadership competence in key policy areas related to the charity or sub-sector’s work. Professional development opportunities may include:

• leadership courses or programs
• management programs
• governance courses or programs
• public policy courses or programs

Grants are usually awarded in amounts of less than $2,500 to cover the tuition or registration costs of courses or programs. Courses or programs must be offered by a non-profit entity or a publicly funded post-secondary institution. Bursaries cover course or program tuition costs, not travel, accommodation or incidental expenses.

Application Process

Please submit applications to the Foundation at least three weeks in advance of the course start date to provide sufficient time for a review of your request. If the application is received after the registration deadline, or if you have already registered for the course, the bursary will not be awarded.

For more information and to submit an application, go here.

*AECEA makes every effort to ensure this information is up to date. Please consult original documentation/website to confirm accuracy*

Program Details

The Training Funding Program is open to registered charities working in the field of social services and early childhood education and care organizations in Alberta and Saskatchewan and certain regional and national umbrella charities supporting charities in Canada.  The aim of this funding program is to build a charity’s organizational capacity through staff and key volunteer professional development.

Two or more eligible charities may jointly apply for funding that would see them collaborate on a training initiative for their staff or key volunteers. In some cases, rather than charities sending all their staff to separate courses or workshops, it may be more prudent for a group of charities to hire a trainer, instructor, or consultant to conduct a joint training session on a specific topic of importance to the charities involved. Funding for this type of training initiative may be eligible for funding under this program.

Available Funding

Generally, training grants are awarded in amounts less than $5,000, but in exceptional circumstances larger grants may be made. Funding may cover course or workshop fees, instructor or consultant fees, room rental, and on occasion the consultant’s travel or accommodation expenses. It is preferable if courses or programs are offered by instructors from a publicly funded educational institution, a non-profit organization or a registered charity.  Prior to the application being submitted, the two (or more) charities involved in the joint training initiative must identify the staff and key volunteers who will be participating in the training. This program isn’t intended to cover the training costs associated with conferences or workshops that are open for registration.

For more information and to apply, go here.

*AECEA makes every effort to ensure this information is up to date. Please consult original documentation/website to confirm accuracy*

If you are looking to work in a licensed day care program, out-of-school care program, or pre-school program you need to be certified. Child care staff must be certified within 6 months of employment and must not have unsupervised access to children until certified.

Once you apply, your application will be reviewed to determine if you are eligible for one of the 3 levels of child care staff certification:

• Child Development Assistant (formerly Level 1)
• Child Development Worker (formerly Level 2)
• Child Development Supervisor (formerly Level 3)

For more information, see the Child Care Staff Certification Guide

*Children's Services website - September 12, 2019 (Child Care Staff Certification Guide (April 2018))

*AECEA makes every effort to ensure this information is up to date. Please consult original documentation/website to confirm accuracy*

There are three certification levels in Alberta:

• Child Development Assistant (CDA), formerly Level 1
• Child Development Worker (CDW), formerly Level 2
• Child Development Supervisor (CDS), formerly Level 3

*Children's Services website - September 12, 2019 (Child Care Staff Certification Guide (April 2018))

*AECEA makes every effort to ensure this information is up to date. Please consult original documentation/website to confirm accuracy*

An approved language proficiency assessment is required for certification as child development worker or supervisor unless an individual’s education was completed in a country where English or French is the primary language of instruction throughout all levels of schooling.

The countries below have been identified as providing instruction in English throughout all levels of schooling

If the education was completed in a country not listed below, a language proficiency assessment is required.

Language proficiency assessments accepted for certification:

• CELPIP General (Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program).

Level 7 must be achieved in all areas (reading, writing, listening, speaking)
Website: www.celpip.ca
Toll free phone: 1-800-958-5186

• IELTS General (International English Language Testing System)

A score of 6 must be achieved in all areas (reading, writing, listening, speaking) .
Website: www.ielts.org

*Children's Services website - September 12, 2019 (Child Care Staff Certification Guide (April 2018))

*AECEA makes every effort to ensure this information is up to date. Please consult original documentation/website to confirm accuracy*

Individuals who have completed some related coursework but have not received an educational credential may be assessed against the content and hours from Alberta Early Learning and Child Care certificate and diploma programs. To view the coursework equivalencies, go here.

*Children's Services website - September 12, 2019 (Child Care Staff Certification Guide (April 2018))

*AECEA makes every effort to ensure this information is up to date. Please consult original documentation/website to confirm accuracy*

Child Development Assistant

You will be eligible to receive a child development assistant certificate upon completion of one of the following:

• a 45-hour (3 credit) post-secondary course related to child development
• the Child Care Orientation Course
• CCS 3110, 3120, 3130, 3140, and 3150 offered through Career and Technology Studies at Alberta high schools
• the Step Ahead Family Day Home Training or Family Child Care Training Program through an approved Alberta Family Day Home Agency registered with the Alberta Family Child Care Association.

Acceptable 3-credit post-secondary courses related to child development include:

• Introduction to early learning and child care
• Learning through play
• Educational psychology

Child Development Worker

You will be eligible to receive a child development worker certificate upon completion of either:

• a 1-year early learning and child care certificate program offered by an Alberta college or university; or
• an approved educational equivalency

Approved educational equivalencies recognized for child development worker certification:

• Disability Studies: 2-year diploma
• Educational Assistant: 2-year diploma
• Bachelor of Science in human ecology: 4-year degree with a major in family ecology
• Kinesiology: 4-year Bachelor degree (B.Kin.) or 2-year Kinesiology diploma
• Community Rehabilitation: 4-year degree or Rehabilitation Assistant 2- year diploma
• Therapeutic Recreation: 2-year diploma or 4-year degree
• Social Work: 2-year diploma

Child Development Supervisor

You will be eligible to receive a child development supervisor certificate upon completion of either:

• a 2-year early learning and child care diploma program offered by an Alberta college or university; or
• an approved educational equivalency

Approved educational equivalencies recognized for child development supervisor certification:

• Alberta Teaching Certificate
• Bachelor of Child Studies: 4-year degree
• Bachelor of Education: 4-year degree or 2-year after degree
• Child and Youth care: 4-year degree or 2-year diploma
• Bachelor of Social Work: 4-year degree

A Coursework Equivalency is available for individuals who have completed related coursework but have not received an educational credential. Courses are assessed against the content and hours from Alberta ELCC certificate and diploma programs for child development worker or supervisor certification. See the chart here.

*Children's Services website - September 12, 2019 (Child Care Staff Certification Guide (April 2018))

*AECEA makes every effort to ensure this information is up to date. Please consult original documentation/website to confirm accuracy*

Early childhood professionals certified in another province are eligible for certification in Alberta without another formal assessment of the person’s educational credentials.

To apply for Alberta certification under this equivalency, submit the following:

• A completed Application for Child Care Staff Certification
• A copy of personal identification that includes your birth date and signature
• Your original provincial certificate (B.C. and Ontario applicants may provide copies)

*Children's Services website - September 12, 2019 (Child Care Staff Certification Guide (April 2018))

*AECEA makes every effort to ensure this information is up to date. Please consult original documentation/website to confirm accuracy*

Education that has been completed outside of Canada may be recognized for certification; however, additional documents may be required.

It is recommended that first time applicants apply for certification by submitting the following:

• a completed Application for Child Care Staff Certification. You will need to print and sign the form; 
• a copy of your personal identification that includes your birth date and signature; and
• a copy of your post-secondary transcripts or marks sheets, including a copy of your graduation certificate. Please do not submit original documents.

Once your application has been assessed, a letter will be sent to you by mail. The letter will explain what certification level you could be eligible for and what documents to provide to be assessed at that level.

If you are eligible for child development worker or supervisor certification, you may be asked to provide one or more of the following documents:

• Official post-secondary (higher education) transcripts, or verified copies of marks sheets and graduation certificates, sent directly from the college or university where you completed your education to the Alberta Certification Office.

These documents must be sent from the school to the Alberta Child Care Staff Certification Office in an envelope sealed by the school. The envelope must not be opened, and it cannot be sent by a relative or friend.

• English language proficiency assessment. If your education was completed in a a country in which English or French is not the primary language, you will be required to submit this.
• English translation of transcripts. If your official transcripts and/or graduation certificates have been issued in a language other than English or French, they must be translated into English by a certified translator. Please note that the official transcripts must first be sent to the Alberta Certification Office directly from the educational institution. The Alberta Certification Office will then send you a photocopy of these transcripts for translation.
• International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) basic credential assessment. If the Alberta Certification Office is not familiar with your education, they may request that you provide an IQAS assessment to determine the equivalent Canadian education. The process to obtain an IQAS assessment can be found at iqas.alberta.ca. 

*Children's Services website - September 12, 2019 (Child Care Staff Certification Guide (April 2018))

*AECEA makes every effort to ensure this information is up to date. Please consult original documentation/website to confirm accuracy*