YMCA Child Care Objectives

• To provide a warm, caring environment that will develop your child’s potential creative, intellectual, emotional, social and Physical Literacy Skills.
• To provide a safe environment that is a natural progression from home to school.
• To ensure that your child is cared for and is supervised at all times.
• To hire educators that are experienced and well trained to provide the best care and enrichment for your child.
• To provide a communication system that ensures parent to educators contact throughout the program year.
• To set fees that allow the Centre to operate on a full cost recovery basis.

YMCA Child Care Values

• YMCA Child Care is available to everyone regardless of race, sex, religion or economic circumstances.
• Parents have the right to pursue work or education with peace of mind, and children have the right to a secure, safe and developmentally appropriate program.
• YMCA Child Care families can access additional programs and services that the YMCA provides to support them.
• Parent participation is important to YMCA Child Care.

YMCA Quality Statement

Parent evaluations, current research, and over 20 years of experience in delivering child care programs have helped us to define our Quality Checklist:

• Children are happy and involved.
• Educators have a caring attitude,
• Centre, equipment and toys are accessible, clean and safe,
• Children participate in small groups in stimulating activities with the teacher.
• Food is nutritionally balanced.
• Parent-educator communication is promoted, and parents feel welcome in the centre.
• Sufficient play materials are available.
• Outdoor play activities are taking place in well-maintained play areas.
• Educators are good role models and have ongoing and appropriate training.
• Parents have regular feedback about their child.

Pre-Kindercare Program Highlights

• All staff hold Alberta Child Care Certification.
• YMCA A Place to Connect curriculum.
• Physical Literacy programming.
• Access to facility gymnasium (where available).
• Access to outdoor activities.
• Two snacks are provided daily (minimum two Canada Food Guide Groups).
• All field trips and special programming are included.
• All programs include community involvement activities.
• The program is licensed under the Before and After School Program, and therefore does not have space allocated for scheduled rest periods (naps) or diapering.

Kindercare Program Highlights

• All staff hold Alberta Child Care Certification.
• Physical Literacy programming.
• YMCA A Place to Connect curriculum.
• Access to outdoor activities.
• Access to facility gymnasium (where available).
• Two snacks are provided daily (minimum two Canada Food Guide Groups).
• All field trips and special programming are included.
• All programs include community involvement activities.
• We're the largest provider of non-profit child care in Western Canada, operating over 65 YMCA Child Care centres.

Before and After School Program Highlights

• All staff hold Alberta Child Care Certification.
• Physical Literacy programming.
• YMCA A Place to Connect curriculum.
• Access to outdoor activities.
• Access to facility gymnasium.
• Two snacks provided daily (minimum two Canada Food Guide Groups).
• All field trips and special programming are included.
• All programs include community involvement activities.
• We're Western Canada's largest provider of non-profit child care with over 65 locations in central and northern Alberta.