Benefits of working in our centers

Salary Grid for Educational Childcare Services (Before Subsidies)*

 *Most SSG centres have a salary grid based on 10 years of service

Subsidies Provided by the Government of Alberta

A salary supplement, granted by the Government of Alberta, may be paid to an admissible salaried employee for up to 181 hours per month. A salary supplement is paid to employees whose certification is recognized by the Government of Alberta.

The amount of the supplement is determined based on the level of certification and the centre’s status (licensed or non-licensed). The amounts paid, determined by the Government of Alberta, are fixed.

*Note that the government subsidy must be added to the base salary to know the total hourly salary.

The salary supplement does not apply to the following cases:

• Days of absence by reason of illness
• Days following the first ten (10) days of vacation
• Days of training
• Employee meetings after normal program hours or outside the employee’s regular hours
• Other absences incurred during the program

A non-licensed centre does not offer a salary supplement to employees.

Diploma Recognition

Pedagogical Equivalencies

If you are not schooled in learning domains and the care of young children, you may refer to the table of course equivalencies in the Certification Guide for Early Childhood Educators to determine if your education is recognized for the certification.

Persons who have not completed a full program leading to a certificate or a diploma or for whom the training does not correspond to the table of education equivalencies may have their courses evaluated by domain and in-class hours for education and childcare classes in order to determine the equivalent level of certification. Please refer to the table of course equivalencies in the guide.

Changes to Educational Equivalencies

As of April 2nd 2018, requirements in terms of educational equivalence and linguistic competence in matters of accreditation for childcare personnel have been modified.

To know more on the modifications, please read the FAQ in the Certification Guide for Early Childhood Educators.

How to Sign Up

Step 1. What You Need to Know

In Alberta, childcare certification is divided into three levels:

• Level 1 : Equivalent to a 45 hour class related to children (games, safety, health, development…)
• Level 2 : Equivalent to an AEC certification in early childhood
• Level 3 : Equivalent to a college diploma in early childhood

Level 3 is the highest level of certification in early childhood. The higher the certification, the more positions within our network will be accessible and the more the salaries will be elevated and of interest.

It is always possible, once you are an employee in a centre, to receive study grants that help to cover the costs of obtaining a higher level of certification while working. 

Step 2. Fill Out Your Application

1. Fill out the certification request form
2. Include the following documents in your application:

• A copy of your ID with date of birth and your signature;
• For Level 2 certification, a photocopy of your transcript or course completion in one of the following cases:
• 45 hours (3 credits) of classes on early childhood education and care

For persons interested in registering for the Level 1 course, the course is offered for free in English and may be done online. It is also offered in French at the Campus Saint-Jean but requires payment.

• Childcare orientation course
• For Level 2 and Level 3 certification, you must have your transcript sent directly from your educational institution to the accreditation office; do not submit your original documents.
• If your studies were completed outside Canada, please refer to the table of inter-Canada equivalencies below.

Step 3. Submit Your Application

You can submit your application by email, fax, or regular mail:

• Fax: 780-427-1258
• Email: cs.staffcertification@gov.ab.ca
• Regular mail:
  Alberta Child Care Staff Certification Office

  Alberta Children’s Services
  9940 106 Street
  Edmonton (Alberta) T5K 2N2

Step 4. After Applying

Once your request is evaluated, the result will be sent to you by mail. The delay for treating certification requests is currently 10 to 12 weeks.

If you believe your studies qualify you for a higher level of certification than the one you received or if you have completed studies leading to a higher certification level, you may submit a new request accompanied by all additional information that may be relevant to reevaluation (example: course descriptions, updated official transcripts, etc.).

Certification Equivalency by Virtue of the Canadian Freedom of Exchange Accord

Early childhood educators certified in another province are admissible to Alberta certification without a formal diploma evaluation. The table below repertoires Alberta certification equivalencies.

Education Recognized for the Certification of Alberta Childcare Staff

After having acquired experience as an educator in our centres, persons with a Level 2 or 3 will have, as time goes by, opportunities for advancement. For example, they may become centre coordinators to eventually apply for positions such as compliance agent or pedagogical support agent within the FPFA.