If you are looking to work in a licensed daycare, out-of-school care, or preschool 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 and have met the other core requirements.

Once you apply, your application will be reviewed to determine if you are eligible for one of the three levels of early childhood educator certification:

• Level 1 Early Childhood Educator (formerly Child Development Assistant)

• Level 2 Early Childhood Educator (formerly Child Development Worker)

• Level 3 Early Childhood Educator (formerly Child Development Supervisor)

How to apply

Before you apply, read the Certification Guide for Early Childhood Educators to make sure you are eligible and understand all the steps. The guide includes information about the educational and language proficiency requirements.

Once you have read the guide, apply online using a computer, tablet, or mobile phone through the Early Childhood Educator Certification Application:

Early Childhood Educator Certification Application

Level 1 Early Childhood Educator certification: for this level, you will be asked to send copies of your educational transcripts or statement of marks verifying completion of one of the following:

• 45 hours (3 credits) of early learning and child care coursework

• Child Care Orientation Course

• CCS 3110, 3120, 3130, 3140, and 3150 (offered through Alberta high schools)

• Step Ahead Family Day Home Training or Family Child Care Training Program (validated by the Alberta Family Child Care Association)

Level 2 and Level 3 Early Childhood Educator certification: for these levels, you must arrange for your official transcripts to be sent directly from your educational institution to the Alberta Child Care Staff Certification Office.

You may send a copy of the transcript to be temporarily certified as a Level 1 Early Childhood Educator, if eligible. The certification level will be changed once the official transcripts have been received directly from the institution and have been assessed as meeting the educational training requirements for Level 2 or Level 3 certification.

If your education was completed outside of Canada, refer to the Certification Guide for Early Childhood Educators to determine if you require a language proficiency assessment or other additional documents.

If you need help or have questions about using the new Early Childhood Educator Certification online application, call the Alberta Child Care Staff Certification Office at 1-800-661-9754.

Child Care Orientation Course

The Child Care Orientation Course is for employed child care staff without formal training in early learning and child care or high school students interested in pursuing a career in early learning and child care.

To register for the course, students must be:

• Canadian Citizens or hold a valid Canadian Permanent Resident card

• currently working in an Alberta licensed child care program (or attending high school with an interest to pursue a career in child care)

This non-credit course is available online by BaseCorp. Learning Systems and meets training requirements for Level 1 Early Childhood Educator certification. The curriculum was developed by Children’s Services in partnership with early childhood professionals, stakeholders and educational institutions in Alberta. The course is funded by the Alberta government and is offered at no cost to the student.

For More Information

Connect with the Alberta Child Care Staff Certification Office:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)

Website: https://www.alberta.ca/child-care-staff-certification.aspx
Toll free: 1-800-661-9754
Email: cs.staffcertification@gov.ab.ca

The School-Age Care sector is always looking for excited educators looking to continue their education and growth. Below is a list of Alberta’s Post-Secondary Institutions that can help you move forward in your career.

Alberta post-secondary institutions offering early learning and child care (ELCC) programs: