Accreditation Policy

The Accreditation Policy (PDF)  was updated May 7, 2024.

For a summary of the changes, please see the Q&A sheet (PDF), or view a recording of the live Accreditation Policy Info Session (YouTube).

Policy Requirement

Accreditation is required for contracted community social service providers that receive $500,000 or more in annual funding from the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) and/or Community Living British Columbia (CLBC). CLBC has agreed to apply MCFD’s accreditation policy as part of a service level agreement.

Service providers are expected to achieve accreditation within 24 months of being notified by MCFD that they are required to be accredited. Service providers must be accredited by a pre-qualified accreditation organization, and ensure that their services are accredited and delivered under the most appropriate accreditation standards available.

Desired Accreditation Outcomes:

• That the community social services delivered on behalf of MCFD and/or CLBC meet or exceed the standards of quality established by the accreditation organization, and
• That community social service providers demonstrate they are effectively managing publicly funded resources and are delivering the best possible quality services to children, youth, families and CLBC eligible adults.

Procedures

The accreditation process has the following steps:

1. MCFD accreditation analyst:

• identifies and contacts those community social service providers who have met or exceeded, during a one year period, the $500,000 contract funding threshold
• offers extra support and mentoring resources to help service providers prepare for accreditation
• arranges the mock site survey.

        2. The service provider:

• chooses the accreditation organization that best covers the services offered
• contacts the accreditation organization to identify the most appropriate accreditation standards for their organization and begins the self-study process
• applies the standards and prepares for the formal site survey
• contacts MCFD accreditation analyst to arrange a mock site survey (a mock survey is only required when the organization is going through the accreditation process for the first time)
• sets the date with the accreditation organization for the formal site survey
• completes the formal site survey and receives the results.

 

Participation by Delegated Aboriginal Agencies and First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Organizations

Delegated Aboriginal Agencies and First Nation, Métis, and Inuit contracted community social service providers are exempt from the accreditation requirement, but they may choose to participate in the accreditation process, regardless of their annual contract funding amount.

To begin the accreditation process, these organizations contact a MCFD accreditation analyst and inform them of their voluntary election to participate in accreditation. MCFD offers the same level of support to these organizations as other contracted service providers who are required to undergo accreditation.