The field of child care is experiencing greater professional recognition. Since 1985, when the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) began administering its accreditation system for child care programs, more than 1,400 preschools, child care centers and school-age programs have achieved this recognition.
The National Academy of Early Childhood programs is the division of NAEYC which administers the accreditation program. The process involves a program's administrators, staff and parents in a self-study to determine how well the program meets the Academy criteria for a high quality early childhood program. The criteria address all aspects of the program:
*Interactions among staff and children
*Curriculum
*Staff and parent interactions
*Administration
*Staff qualifications and development
*Staffing patterns
*Physical environment
*Health and safety
*Nutrition and food service
*Program evaluation
Once the self-study is completed and a program makes any needed improvements, a trained validator makes an on-site visit to verify the accuracy of the program description. Then a three-person commission makes the accreditation decision.
To be eligible for accreditation, a school-age program must:
*Serve a minimum of 10 school-age children (ages five to eight) before- and/or after-school;
*Have been in operation at least one year prior to receipt of accreditation; and
*Be licensed by the state Department of Health Services, or if exempt from licensing, comply with the licensing standards.
The cost of accreditation varies depending on the number of children in the program. Two fees are required: an application fee and a validation fee. The application fee is determined by the total number of children enrolled. The validation fee is determined by the number of children and the length of time they attend.
Judy Goldfarb, former director of WHEE II, the school-age program in West Hartford, CT feels the benefits a program derives from the accreditation process are many. "It gave our staff the opportunity to look at what they were doing on a daily basis and evaluate their effectiveness. Earning the accreditation helped enhance their feelings of being true professionals," says Mrs. Goldfarb. "through the process we also learned a great deal about our relationship with the parents, in particular, we developed a better understanding of the need to communicate with parents on a regular basis. I wholeheartedly believe the accreditation process and would recommend that other programs pursue it."
For more information about accreditation, you can call NAEYC at 1-800-424-2460. The Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) is a personal credential for providers. It is a comprehensive study of professional practice. Many community colleges sponsor courses to obtain a CDA, and there is scholarship funding for income eligible candidates through the Child Care Training Support Fund (1-800-832-7784).