Accreditation is different than licensing. Licensing, with surprise inspections, focuses on enforcement of minimum regulations often in just sanitation and food service. Accreditation, with scheduled visits, focuses on education supporting best practices in all aspects of camp operation. Licensing varies significantly from state to state. Licensing is required and imposed.
Accreditation is voluntary.
Camps who are accredited have demonstrated their commitment to providing a safe and nurturing environment for children. To be accredited, camps must first comply with up to 26 mandatory prerequisite standards on critical health and safety concerns such as emergency exits and lifeguards. No accreditation process, no licensing program, no set of regulations or laws can guarantee safety. But accreditation is the best evidence for parents that a camp is committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for their children. Accreditation helps parents select camps which meet government-recognized best practices.