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Early Childhood Educator: Certifications in Alberta - alis
Under the Alberta Early Learning and Child Care Act [pdf] and the Early Learning and Child Care Regulation [pdf], staff working in licensed daycare, out-of-school care, group family child care and preschool programs must have early childhood educator certification. They must be certified within 6 months of starting employment and before having unsupervised access to children. As per the Family Day Home Standards for Alberta, staff working in approved family day home agencies must have Early Childhood Educator certification. They must be certified within 6 months of approval to provide child care.
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Certifications in Alberta
Legal, Education and Government Services

Early Childhood Educator

Early childhood educators work with infants, toddlers, preschool, and school-aged children in a variety of settings.

Contact

Alberta Child Care Staff Certification Office
Government of Alberta
Forestry Building, 3rd Floor
9920 - 108 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta  T5K 2M4
Canada

Call: 780-422-1119
Call toll-free (within Alberta): 1-800-661-9754
Email: ECE.staffcertification@gov.ab.ca
Website: www.alberta.ca/early-childhood-educator-certification

Legislation

Under the Alberta Early Learning and Child Care Act [pdf] and the Early Learning and Child Care Regulation [pdf], staff working in licensed daycare, out-of-school care, group family child care and preschool programs must have early childhood educator certification. They must be certified within 6 months of starting employment and before having unsupervised access to children.

As per the Family Day Home Standards for Alberta, staff working in approved family day home agencies must have Early Childhood Educator certification. They must be certified within 6 months of approval to provide child care.

What You Need

There are 3 levels of early childhood educator certification in Alberta. The level of certification is based on the education completed (not work experience).

To be certified for Level 1 Early Childhood Educator, you must have completed 1 of the following:

  • The Alberta Child Care Orientation Course sponsored by the Government of Alberta
  • CCS 3110, 3120, 3130, 3140, and 3150 offered through Alberta high schools
  • A 45-hour (3-credit) post-secondary course in child development
  • The Family Child Care Training Program through an approved Alberta Family Day Home agency registered with the Alberta Family Child Care Association (AFCCA)
  • Approved early learning and child care coursework focused on diversity and Indigenous learnings

To be certified for Level 2 Early Childhood Educator, you must have completed:

  • A 1-year early learning and child care certificate program offered by an Alberta public college or university, or an approved equivalent

To be certified for Level 3 Early Childhood Educator, you must have completed:

  • A 2-year early learning and child care diploma program offered by an Alberta public college or university, or an approved equivalent

For details about all certification requirements, contact the Government of Alberta or visit the Government of Alberta website.

Working in Alberta

Early childhood educators who are certified, registered, or licensed to work in a regulated child care setting elsewhere in Canada may be eligible for certification in Alberta if their scope of practice and competencies are similar. For more information, see What if I am already certified in another province or territory in Canada? and the Government of Alberta website.

The certification information in this profile may change at any time and without notice. Before making any career decisions, we advise you to contact the regulatory organization or visit their website for the most updated information.

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