Affiliated Services for Children and Youth >> Raising the Bar Overview

Overview

“Raising the Bar On Quality”

General information:

Raising the Bar is an ASCY, Community Initiative that was developed to promote and support observance of community standards in a variety of early learning and child care programs. The program provides a framework for best practice to guide early learning and child care operators in delivering high-quality services for children and families. In addition to the best practice framework, Raising the Bar helps to ensure practices are current and responsive to family and community needs by engaging educators in ongoing Professional Education, Mentoring and Reflective Practice.

Raising the Bar was developed and introduced in Hamilton, Ontario to promote and support observance of community standards in:

Licensed, centre-based Early Learning and Child Care programs
Licensed School-Age Child Care programs
Special Needs Resource Agencies
Licensed Home Child Care Agencies
Early Learning and Parenting Centres.

Materials are available in English and French for the above noted - Raising the Bar versions.

Raising the Bar is endorsed and financially supported by the City of Hamilton, Community Services Department, Social Development and Early Childhood Services.

Endorsed by the A.E.C.E.O, Hamilton Branch
Coordinated and administered by ASCY and the Supervisors’ Network Group.

There are three categories of standards

1. Quality Monitoring

Quality is monitored through frequent on-site observations.
Parent and/or Caregiver feedback is collected each year.
Action plans are developed to address areas of need and to plan for improvement.
In addition to annual provincial licensing reviews and local public health inspections, Raising the Bar programs undergo site visits by Early Childhood Education Consultants.

2. Best Practices

The program offers information for parents and promotes opportunities for community involvement.
There are detailed policies, procedures and management practices to guide day-to-day operations.
Specific strategies are in place to support optimal child health and development. Resources and information about child development are provided to parents.

3. Professional Education

The team of Early Years professionals in Raising the Bar programs maintain credentials and commit to additional training each year.

First aid and CPR are kept current.
Cooks have Food Handlers’ Certificate training.
All directors and staff attend workshops and conferences to enhance their understanding of early childhood education and care.
Raising the Bar programs support teacher training through mentorship and by providing practical training opportunities for cooperative education students.

Raising the Bar Certificate Levels

Through the annual peer review process, a level of achievement is determined for each of the three categories.

Bronze level programs follow fundamental quality indicators and are also in full compliance with Ontario’s Day Nurseries Act.

Silver level programs have additional strategies to enhance quality.

Gold level programs demonstrate a long-term commitment to high quality in early childhood education.