November 10, 1994: Vol26n10: Child Care Center receives national accreditation

By MARY BETH SPINA
News Bureau Staff
The University at Buffalo Child Care Center has been accredited by the
National Academy of Early Childhood Programs.
	Accreditation recognizes outstanding early-childhood programs
that meet national standards of quality.
	To become accredited, programs must meet strict criteria,
including having trained and qualified staff, opportunities for
parental involvement, strict health and safety standards, and a
developmentally appropriate program for preschoolers.	The
accreditation process includes an on-site study of the program by
professional validators and a final review by a three-member panel of
commissioners who are experts in the field of early-childhood
education.
	"Accreditation helps answer the question, 'What is a quality
child-care center,'" says Marilyn Smith, executive director of the
National Association for the Education of Young Children, the nation's
oldest and largest association of early-childhood professionals, which
sponsors the academy. "Most parents want to find the highest-quality
program for their young children; however, few parents know how to
assess whether a program meets more than just the minimum standards
required by state licensing.
	"Accreditation helps parents recognize the varied components
that should be present in a quality program," she said. The academy's
standards were developed over a three-year period using input from
thousands of educators and administrators across the nation. The first
program was accredited in 1985. Since then, more than 2,500 child-care
programs have received the designation, including 17 at SUNY campuses.
	The UB center on the South Campus serves youngsters ranging in
age from six weeks to five years old from 115 families, according to
director Vickie Loghmanieh.