Alberta Resource Center for Quality Enhancement

Checklists are intended to provide a detailed review of each room and/or day home in the program/agency. It is important to ensure before undertaking this step that there is a clear understanding on how to conduct and gather information accurately and consistently from one room to another or one day home to another.  During this session we review the three checklists available as we highlight strengths and identify gaps.

Are you engaged in the process of Accreditation and are wondering who can help you? Are you familiar with the ARCQE Coach for your region? Have you wondered about the difference between Coaches and Mentors? Find out more about these behind the scene “silent partners” and what they can offer through the Circle of Support available to agencies.

The Birch Bark Basket learning resources have been designed to help early childhood programs sensitively and appropriately integrate Aboriginal content (First Nations and Metis) into their day-to-day activities. This session will review curriculum areas developed and the process for borrowing these resources. Participants will also have the opportunity to explore the materials contained in the six-resource basket collection. 

Relates to Accreditation Standards: 2, 3, 4, 7

The Treasure Chest project is intended to promote understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity in ways that are consistent with best and promising practices for young children. The project provides learning resources to support child care programs and family child care providers to sensitively and appropriately integrate cultural content into their day-to-day activities. The resources help programs provide children with the ‘mirrors’ to see themselves and their families outside of their own home and the ‘doors’ to move confidently out into other cultures. They complement the Birch Bark Basket resources previously developed by ARCQE to support the inclusion of Aboriginal content in programs.

This session outlines technical assistance available to support programs that have just enrolled in accreditation. This presentation introduces the “Go Forward Plan” (GFP) and provides an overview on the 5 main steps of the GFP to which ARCQE may be of assistance leading up to the accreditation site visit.

In this session we explore tips and techniques for building a strong portfolio. The challenge of     knowing “what” to collect as evidence that will make sense to others, given various interpretations that exist about delivery of quality child care services. The best way to ensure that all necessary elements of the portfolio are covered and adequate evidence is provided is to work through each of the 12 sections, reviewing all indicators to assist in determining level of “evidence” that would be required to reinforce practice relating to all items noted.

The most significant part of the administrative process for accreditation is the development of the Quality Enhancement Plan.  The Quality Enhancement Plan allows programs to measure all the wonderful things it does on a year to year basis to support children and families!   In this session we look at the “How to” as programs begins their accreditation journey.

This resource was developed to educate professionals and volunteers and assist them as they educate others about crying, Shaken Baby Syndrome and prevention strategies.

Relates to Accreditation Standards: 1, 4 and 8