February 14, 2023

Calgary, Alberta – Calgary City Council today approved the decision to request that the Alberta
Municipalities Board advocate to the Alberta Minister of Children’s Services to mandate minimum safety
standards in unlicensed private dayhomes across Alberta. The Council also recommends that all
unlicensed private dayhome providers have access to affordable and timely First Aid/CPR training,
criminal record checks and vulnerable sector searches.

“As Alberta’s first dayhome support network,” said Danielle Bourdin, Founder and Executive Director of
Embolden Professional Dayhome Community, “we commend Calgary City Council for being the first
jurisdiction to mandate safety regulations for unlicensed private dayhomes and for urging the
Government of Alberta to do the same across the province. All children will benefit.”

What currently exists in Alberta is a confusing jumble of initiatives and a two-tiered child care system of
licensed versus unlicensed care. A 2022 report by the Edmonton Council for Early Learning and Care
states that only three out of 10 children in Alberta under the age of six have access to licensed child care.
That means seven out of 10 children are likely in unlicensed child care arrangements, which are not
regulated by the provincial government, and do not qualify for any subsidy or other supports.

Embolden PDC is passionate about encouraging and supporting unlicensed private dayhome providers to
go above and beyond the minimum standards to create a safe and caring environment for the vulnerable
young children in their care. Embolden advocates for private dayhome providers to voluntarily secure a
criminal record check and maintain valid first aid certification.

Embolden PDC recognizes that many private dayhome providers in the province are skilled in early
childhood education and voluntarily follow provincial government guidelines for operating a dayhome.
Embolden stresses that there is currently no legislation in place for mandatory safety requirements
within unlicensed private child care across the province.

While dayhome providers can access some of the lowest first aid certification rates in the province
through Embolden PDC’s partnership with Little Lungs/Big Hearts First Aid Inc., Bourdin says she welcomes the City of Calgary’s bid to help make first aid certification and criminal record checks more affordable for providers within the dayhome community, likely increasing provider participation across the province.

Embolden supports parent choice in choosing child care that fits their unique needs and situations and
encourages families to use its “Dayhome Child Care Cheat Sheet” for securing quality private unlicensed
care. Parents can connect with quality providers in their area through Embolden’s online directory of
verified dayhome providers who uphold critical safety standards in private care.

Bourdin says, “We will continue to work with all levels of government in partnership with other
like-minded organizations to help ensure that all children in Alberta have access to safe and quality child
care – no matter the circumstances in which they receive that care. We strongly urge the members of the
Alberta Municipalities Board to vote ‘yes’ for Calgary’s motion at the spring caucus meeting at the end of
March.”

Embolden PDC applauds the following members of Calgary City Council for sponsoring this motion:
Mayor Gondek, Councillor Walcott, Councillor Spencer, Councillor Wyness and Councillor Demong.