Daycare Accreditation (April 12)
Dr. Taft: Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Children and Youth Services. Last summer after an unaccredited daycare in Stony Plain was ordered closed because of concerns with force-feeding and mistreating toddlers, the minister said, and I quote: we should have accreditation at 100 per cent. End quote.
Now the minister has backtracked on mandatory accreditation, leaving it on a voluntary basis. To the minister: Why? Why did she abandon her commitment to 100 per cent accreditation for Alberta’s daycares?
Mrs. Fritz: Well, Mr. Speaker, to be clear, I haven’t abandoned my commitment to 100 per cent accreditation, and neither has the community. In fact, the community has responded to accreditation where it’s already 85 per cent fully accredited for daycares and day homes, 10 per cent are participating in accreditation, and 5 per cent are in transition, including newly opened facilities. I can tell you that with that voluntary commitment by the community this has become a very successful program and has been embraced by the daycare and day home operators.
Dr. Taft: Again to the same minister. She’s talking about a voluntary program. I’d like her to give us an answer here. What is the firm deadline for 100 per cent accreditation for Alberta’s day-cares? Give us a deadline.
Mrs. Fritz: Well, Mr. Speaker, it might be helpful to this member if I explained about a daycare and day home and how they’re licensed and they’re approved. When a day home or daycare is licensed or approved, their safety is regulated – we have very high provincial standards – and they’re also inspected and monitored on a regular basis.
Now, accreditation is completely different. Accreditation is about enhancing the child care program, creating better learning opportunities for children, Mr. Speaker, and that’s why we established the accreditation program. That’s why the . . .
The Speaker: The hon. member, please.
Dr. Taft: Well, thanks, Mr. Speaker. Given that we probably all agree that accreditation is a valuable thing, why is this minister allowing some children in this province, little children, to go to daycares that are not accredited?
Mrs. Fritz: Well, Mr. Speaker, I explained in my earlier answer that the community has embraced this program. Eighty-five per cent are accredited – no, don’t shake your head; they are – 10 per cent are in the process of being accredited, and 5 per cent, the new facilities, are becoming accredited. That is mostly a hundred per cent compliance.
Mr. Speaker, we did increase the accreditation funding. We increased it by 12 per cent, from $74 million to $83 million, the only program of its kind in Canada.
Alberta Hansard, April 12, 2011