The people who run religious exempt centers, which many consider an outreach ministry, say their programs' quality compares favorably with those licensed by the state. I like to sing 'Father Abraham' with my friends. If moms go to work and know their children are going to be OK, they can go to work with a peace of mind. The association also inspects its member centers at least twice a year and provides 30 hours of initial personnel training. We feel like we have to be better than normal because we're representing the church.
Standards differ from one accrediting agency to another.
While Evangelical Christian Preschool, a member of the Florida Association of Christian Schools and Colleges, follows the same staff ratios the state, it is inspected only every other year. Not all church or faith-based centers choose to be exempt from state laws. Many become licensed to make their programs more credible in the eyes of parents. Faith United Methodist Church's Child Development Center has been licensed by the state since it opened nine years ago. Covenant, like other church-based centers, began offering child care as an outreach ministry.