In ChildFriendly Pro's September 2025 Director Lunch & Learn, child care operator Krystal Churcher advised centers to review parent contracts and staff policies at least once a year, walk families through the contract at enrollment, and handle staff conduct issues privately with a direct link to written policy, because, as she cited, over 70% of families rank professionalism and clear communication among their top three reasons for choosing a provider.
What the session covered
Professionalism in child care refers to the image, conduct, policies and communication practices that shape how families and staff experience a center. In this Director Lunch & Learn, hosted by the Association of Child Care Entrepreneurs (ACE) and sponsored by ChildFriendly Pro, Krystal Churcher framed it in five parts: professionalism as the foundation, contracts and policies as the backbone of the business, communication as the source of family trust, differentiation in a competitive market, and quality standards as a driver of growth. Churcher explained why the topic matters now. Long waitlists created by CWELCC-era demand have meant many centers have not had to compete for families, but she noted that some areas of Alberta have been flooded with new spaces, that funding agreements in Alberta and Ontario were set to end in March, and that a change in the funding model could reduce demand. She cited a National Association for the Education of Young Children study finding that over 70% of families rank professionalism and clear communication among their top three decision factors.
How should directors handle unprofessional staff behavior?
Churcher walked through several scenarios. When a staff member vents about a co-worker in front of parents at pickup, the supervisor should address it privately, explain why it is unprofessional, and point the staff member to proper channels for concerns; the preventive step is to reinforce a professional conduct policy in regular staff meetings. When a staff member is repeatedly late and the director responds informally each time without documentation, other staff see inconsistency. The fix is a private meeting tied to a written attendance or tardiness policy, followed by consistent next steps such as a written warning. When a teacher gossips in the staff room and management ignores it, the behavior spreads and undermines teamwork, so management must address it directly and model respectful communication. When a director demands punctuality but arrives late, staff question the rules. Churcher's principle was that leadership trickles down: managers must hold themselves to the same or higher standards than staff, and transparent decision-making reduces resentment. She recommended reviewing staff policies every year rather than only at hire.
What should a child care parent contract cover and how should it be introduced?
According to Churcher, a parent contract safeguards financial stability and sets clear expectations, protecting the center against unpaid fees, unclear withdrawal notice and disputes. She stressed that a contract should be paired with strong communication at enrollment rather than simply handed over. Her own center runs a parent night or orientation to walk through the contract, take questions and explain scenarios, such as why a set notice period is required and how an unpaid month away affects staffing. In a scenario where a parent argues with an educator about a late fee, management should reinforce that the contract is the agreed standard and that staff are not the bad guys, and give frontline staff a clear way to refer fee questions to the office or administrator so they are not pulled out of ratio. In a second scenario, a director relies on an outdated generic contract with vague policies. Churcher's recommendation was to put an annual contract review into policy, remove outdated terms, reflect current funding, and train staff on the contract in a staff meeting.
How can a child care center stand out to families in a competitive market?
Churcher listed several ways to differentiate a program beyond an open space. Centers can pursue the national quality initiative under NECPA (National Early Childhood Program Accreditation), which ACE is partnering on and which she expected to arrive in Canada in October 2025, to show a standard above the regulatory baseline. Centers can add specialized resources such as STEM programs, sensory tools, cultural resources or learning technology, possibly using Alberta's Inclusive Spaces Grant if it reopens. They can enhance staff training in literacy, special needs support, inclusion and leadership, and offer enhanced programming such as music and movement, visiting artists, art shows, language programs or a weekly yoga instructor. Churcher noted that extras only matter if families see their value, so centers should showcase them in newsletters and conversations. Staff should be able to give a simple elevator pitch with two to three differentiators, avoiding answers like "we're all pretty similar." She also recommended a unified value statement built with staff and a simple brochure or postcard with consistent messaging.
Professionalism, policy and communication actions from the session
| Time | Key point | What centers should do |
|---|---|---|
| 03:54 | Churcher cited a NAEYC study finding that over 70% of families rank professionalism and clear communication in their top three factors. | Treat professionalism and communication as enrollment and retention drivers, not soft skills. |
| 06:05 | Address unprofessional staff behavior privately, never in front of families or other staff. | Reinforce a professional conduct policy in staff meetings and provide clear channels to raise concerns. |
| 08:04 | Informal, undocumented responses to lateness create a sense of unequal rules. | Link the conversation to a written tardiness policy and apply consequences consistently. |
| 15:22 | Educators should be able to explain why a family should choose your center. | Give staff an elevator pitch with two to three differentiators and a brochure to hand out. |
| 17:56 | A parent contract protects against unpaid fees, unclear withdrawals and disputes. | Walk families through the contract at enrollment or a parent orientation night. |
| 20:24 | Fee disputes should not fall on frontline educators. | Route contract and fee questions to the office or administrator. |
| 22:00 | Outdated generic contracts leave staff to interpret vague policies. | Review and update parent contracts at least once a year and train staff on them. |
| 28:29 | Incident communication needs a cause and a follow-up plan, not just a report. | Tell families what happened, why, and what the center will do next, promptly. |
| 30:04 | Newsletters and bulletins keep families informed and showcase enhanced programs. | Send a centerwide newsletter at least once a month; hold quarterly or semiannual parent check-ins. |
| 31:38 | Educators who avoid reporting repeated aggressive behavior leave parents feeling blindsided. | Train staff to communicate openly and compassionately, with clear language and strategies. |
How ChildFriendly Pro automates this
The session described paper contracts, whiteboards and ad hoc updates; at 35:00 Wayne Chen of ChildFriendly Pro described digitized contracts and checklists, bulk emails, instant messaging, daily journals, and incident and health reports that parents review and sign digitally through the parent communication tools. For centers pursuing the NECPA quality initiative Churcher mentioned, ChildFriendly Pro also offers a digital NECPA accreditation hub.
Next steps
- Register for the next Director Lunch & Learn for child care leaders
- Parent communication app with messaging, daily journals and digital incident reports
- Free parent contract and family handbook implementation checklist
- Book a ChildFriendly Pro demo
