You can do this in under five minutes, for free, before you even book a tour.
The short answer: search the program on the Alberta Childcare Search at alberta.ca, where you will see its licence status and an 18-month history of non-compliance. Then run three more checks: the Early Childhood Educator Lookup for staff certification, the Administrative Penalty Lookup for fines, and the Stop Order Lookup for unlicensed providers ordered to close in the past 24 months—four tools, all public, all free.
Here is how to use them, and more importantly, how to read what they show you.
Where to Look It Up in Under Five Minutes
| Tool | What it shows | History shown |
| Childcare Search | Licensed programs and family day home agencies, licence status, non-compliance findings | 18 months |
| Early Childhood Educator Lookup | An educator’s certification number, level, status, date and any conditions | Current status |
| Administrative Penalty Lookup | Financial penalties against licence holders, educators and unlicensed providers | Published record |
| Unlicensed Child Care Stop Order Lookup | Unlicensed providers ordered to stop operating | Past 24 months |
All four live under the Childcare Lookup Tools page on alberta.ca. Bookmark it. You will use it for every program you shortlist.
Using the Alberta Childcare Search Tool, Step by Step
- Go to the Childcare Search from the Alberta childcare lookup tools page.
- Search by program name if you have it, or by community or postal code to see what is near you.
- Open the program’s record. You will see the licence holder, programme type, licensed capacity, and licence status.
- Look for the inspection or non-compliance section. This is where 18 months of findings are listed.
- Open each finding and read the actual text, not just the count.
- Note the date, the section of regulation involved, and whether the same issue appears more than once.
A tip most parents miss: search the licence holder name as well as the program name. If the same licence holder operates multiple programs, you can also review those locations separately. This can give you additional context about the operator, but remember that each program has its own compliance record.
Also, check the licensed capacity against the program’s report. If a centre is licensed for 60 children and describes itself as taking 90, something is wrong with one of those numbers.
What the 18 Months of Non-Compliance History Shows You
Non-compliance findings can appear in a program’s record. A finding does not automatically mean a program is unsafe or poor quality. What matters is understanding what the finding was, when it occurred, and whether similar issues were repeated. That is normal. A perfectly clean record over 18 months is either an excellent program or a very new one.
What the history is genuinely good for is spotting patterns. Ask yourself three questions:
- Do the same findings repeat? One late paperwork item is nothing. The same supervision finding three times in eighteen months is a system that is not fixing itself.
- Are the findings about children or about admin? Ratio, supervision and safety findings are a different category from an expired policy signature.
- Are the findings recent or old? A cluster of older findings followed by a longer period without similar findings may be worth discussing with the director. Ask what changed and how the program addressed the earlier issues.
If you see something concerning, do not silently rule out the program. Print it and ask the director about it on the tour. How a director responds to a direct question about their own record is one of the most useful things you will learn all day. Pay attention to whether the director can explain what happened, what corrective action was taken, and what has changed since then.
Our two main childcare services include flexible drop in daycare and dependable Regular hours daycare in Calgary for busy families.
Reading an Inspection Record: Which Findings Matter and Which Do Not
Here is a rough hierarchy, from most to least serious, of your child’s daily experiences.
| Finding type | How worried to be | Why |
| Supervision, a child unsupervised | Very | This is the core of the job |
| Ratio not maintained | Very | Directly changes your child’s day |
| Criminal record checks missing or expired | Very | A screening failure |
| Safe sleep or safety hazard | High | Real risk of harm |
| Medication handling errors | High | Real risk of harm |
| Illness or exclusion policy not followed | Moderate | Affects outbreaks |
| Staff certification not meeting requirements | Moderate | Quality signal, and a repeat pattern matters |
| Record keeping, attendance, files incomplete | Low to moderate | Sloppy, but sloppiness sometimes spreads |
| Posted documents missing, policy signature | Low | Usually genuine paperwork |
| Facility maintenance, minor | Low | Depends what it is |
| Finding | What parents should ask |
| Supervision | What happened and what changed afterward? |
| Ratio | Was it isolated or repeated? |
| Safety issue | What was the issue and how was it corrected? |
| Medication | What procedure was changed afterward? |
| Documentation | Was it administrative and has it been corrected? |
One caution. Records are written in regulatory language, not plain English, and the same wording can cover a wide range of severity. “Supervision” can mean a child briefly out of sight in a fenced yard, or something much more serious. If a finding worries you, ask the program for the full context.
We offer daycare programs in Calgary for different age groups, including:
Administrative Penalties: What They Are and How to Search Them
An administrative penalty is a financial enforcement measure. Alberta says penalties may be issued for violations of childcare legislation and may be used in cases involving continued non-compliance or significant risk.
Penalties can be issued against a licence holder, against an individual certified educator, or against someone operating unlicensed child care.
Use the Administrative Penalty Lookup and search the licence holder name, the program name, and any individual name you have been given. A penalty in the record is not automatically disqualifying, but it is a question you should absolutely ask about, and you should expect a clear, specific answer.
Checking Educators With the Early Childhood Educator Lookup
Alberta certifies early childhood educators at three levels: Level 1 Child Development Assistant, Level 2 Child Development Worker, and Level 3 Child Development Supervisor, with Level 3 requiring a two-year diploma.
The Early Childhood Educator Lookup lets you check an individual’s certification number, level, status, certification date and any conditions placed on their certificate.
You will not usually have staff names before a tour, so use this one afterwards. During the tour, ask for the name and certification level of the educator who will be in your child’s room. Then look them up at home. Two things you are checking: that the level matches what you were told, and that the certificate is current with no conditions.
This simply uses a public professional registry to verify the information you’ve been given.
The Stop Order Tool: Unlicensed Providers Ordered to Close
Alberta publishes stop orders issued to unlicensed child care providers for the past 24 months. A stop order means the province ordered someone to stop operating.
You would use this if you are considering a private dayhome, a nanny share, or any arrangement that is not licensed or agency-approved. Search the provider’s name and the address.
Worth knowing: it is legal in Alberta for a private dayhome to operate without a license if it cares for six or fewer children. What is not legal is exceeding that, or continuing after a stop order. If you find a stop order, don’t ignore it. Check the type of order, the date, and whether it has been rescinded. An imminent-threat order and an over-capacity order have different implications under Alberta’s rules. If you’re considering the provider, ask Childcare Connect for clarification before proceeding.
Licensed, Approved and Private: What Each Status Legally Requires
These three words are used loosely in Facebook groups, and the differences are significant.
| Licensed facility | Approved family day home | Unlicensed family day home | |
| Government licensing | Yes | Agency licensed by government | No |
| Agency oversight | N/A | Yes | No |
| Government compliance record | Yes | Agency/program information | No comparable licensed-program record |
| Maximum children | Licence-specific | Up to 6, excluding own children | Up to 6, excluding own children |
| ECE requirements | Regulatory requirements apply | ECE requirements through agency | Different legal requirements |
If a provider describes themselves as “licensed” and you cannot find them on the Childcare Search, ask directly. Sometimes it is a dayhome under an agency, which is approved rather than licensed, and that is fine. Sometimes it is not, and that is the whole point of checking.
What Licensing Does Not Cover, and What You Must Ask in Person
This is the honest limitation of every lookup tool.
Licensing tells you a program meets a legal floor. It does not tell you:
- Whether educators are warm with children
- How long staff have been there
- What actually happens when a child is upset or hits
- Whether outdoor time really happens in January
- Whether the food is any good
- Whether the program communicates well with parents
- Whether your particular child will be happy there
Those are all tour questions, and no database will answer them. Use the lookup tools to build a shortlist and to arrive at an informed tour. Then go and watch a room at ten in the morning, which will teach you things no record ever could.
Want to see a record and a room on the same visit? We will show you our licence, walk you through our inspection history line by line, and let you watch the actual room your child would be in. Come and ask us the uncomfortable questions at Clever Daycare. That is what a tour is for.
If You Have a Concern About a Program: How to Report It
If you have a concern about a licensed program or a family day home, take these steps in order.
- Raise it with the director in writing. Most issues are genuine misunderstandings and get resolved here. Keep a copy.
- If it is a dayhome, contact the agency. They are responsible for monitoring the home.
- If it is a licensing matter, contact the province. Call Childcare Connect at 1 844 644 5165 for licensed programs and family day home agencies.
- If a child is in immediate danger, call 911. If you suspect abuse or neglect, you are legally obliged in Alberta to report it. Call the Child Abuse Hotline at 1 800 387 5437.
- Keep dates and specifics. What happened, when, who was present, what you were told. Specific reports get acted on. Vague ones are hard to investigate.
If you have a concern, provide the facts you know: what happened, when it happened, who was involved, and what you observed.
We currently provide daycare services in three main Calgary locations:
FAQ: Child Care Licensing in Alberta
How do I check if a daycare is licensed in Alberta?
Search it in the Alberta Childcare Search on the childcare lookup tools page at alberta.ca. Licensed programs must also display the licence visibly in the building.
How far back does the inspection history go?
The Childcare Search shows 18 months of non-compliance history. Stop orders are shown for the past 24 months.
Is it bad if a daycare has non-compliance findings?
Not by itself. Most programs have some. Look for repetition, recency, and whether the findings involve supervision, ratios or safety rather than paperwork.
Can I look up a specific educator?
Yes, using the Early Childhood Educator Lookup, which shows certification number, level, status and any conditions.
Are private dayhomes legal in Alberta?
Yes, if they care for six or fewer children. But they are not inspected, not screened, have no published record, and are not eligible for the affordability grant or subsidy.
What is the difference between licensed and approved?
Licensed applies to facility-based programs. Approved applies to family day homes contracted to a licensed agency that holds the licence.
What is an administrative penalty?
A financial fine issued by the province for non-compliance, more serious than an ordinary inspection finding. Searchable in the Administrative Penalty Lookup.
What if the daycare I want is brand new with no history?
That is normal and not a red flag. Ask instead about the licence holder’s other locations and the director’s experience, and look up the licence holder’s name.
Who do I call to report a concern?
Childcare Connect at 1 844 644 5165 for licensing matters. The Child Abuse Hotline at 1 800 387 5437 if you suspect abuse or neglect. 911 in an emergency.
Does licensing mean the daycare is good?
It means it meets the legal minimum. Quality is what you assess in person, on a weekday morning, watching how educators are with children.
Our Own Licence and Inspection Record, Openly Published
We believe parents should have the information they need to make a confident childcare decision. That’s why we’re happy to show you our licence, explain our inspection history and answer questions about our policies, educators and daily practices..
Clever Daycare runs licensed programs in Calgary at Glamorgan, University District, and Aspen, covering infant through kindergarten, with regular hours plus drop-in, and weekend care. On a tour, we will show you the posted licence, walk you through what is on our provincial record and what we did about it, and tell you the certification level of the educator who would be with your child.
