The focus on accreditation also influenced the provider community. Seven more providers from the neighborhood are participating in the accreditation project. Parents learn about child care in the context of relationships. This project revealed that parents seeking child care responded well to the information about quality that they received from providers and from peers using accredited programs. As parents inquire about accreditation when contacting providers, they begin to increase the demand for accredited programs.
Providers have a lot of knowledge to offer parents about good quality care.
Providers who participated in this project reported that it enhanced their sense of professionalism. They wanted parents to value their accreditation and understand what quality child care is and why it matters. Go to the next article. Return to the Table of Contents.