Accreditation Council

About the NAFCC Accreditation Council

The NAFCC Accreditation Council is a national leadership body dedicated to protecting the quality, credibility, and integrity of the NAFCC Accreditation system. The Council provides strategic guidance that ensures accreditation remains meaningful, rigorous, and responsive to the realities of family child care.

The Council is composed of leaders from diverse professional backgrounds, including early childhood education experts, advocates, and NAFCC Accredited Family Child Care (FCC) Educators, who make up a significant portion of the Council’s membership. This structure ensures that the lived experiences and expertise of FCC educators directly inform accreditation policies, standards, and system decisions.

By centering educator voice and evidence-informed practice, the NAFCC Accreditation Council helps advance high standards and continuous quality improvement for family child care programs nationwide.

Meet the Council

Click here to see our Accreditation Council locator.

Committees & Leadership

Monitoring & Accountability Committee
Monitors system-level alignment with accreditation policy using a Council-developed tool. Reviews quality indicators, timelines, and evidence to identify strengths, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
Chair: Annette Eberhart
Co-Chair: Sheryl Hutzenbiler

Policy Committee
Drafts and revises NAFCC Accreditation policies and presents them to the Council for review and approval.
Chair: Beth Hart
Co-Chair: Sheryl Hutzenbiler

New Member Nomination Committee

Ensures Council membership reflects diversity in race, ethnicity, geography, gender, language, and professional expertise. Confirms that at least two-thirds of Council members are Accredited FCC Educators in good standing.

Chair: Annette Eberhart

Standards Review & Revision Committee

Guides the periodic review and revision of the NAFCC Accreditation Standards to ensure alignment with best practices and current research. A new review cycle will begin this year.

Chair: Sue Hancock

Conference Committee

Supports Council participation in the annual NAFCC National Conference and ensures consistent accreditation messaging and visibility. Council members are expected to attend and receive discounted registration.
Chair: Sue Hancock

Ad Hoc Committee

Formed as needed when the Council identifies priorities requiring specialized expertise. Ad Hoc Committees may include non-voting Council Advisors to support specific initiatives.

Become a Council Member

NAFCC invites Family Child Care educators and early childhood professionals to apply for membership on the Accreditation Council. Council members play a vital leadership role in shaping the future of accreditation and strengthening quality systems nationwide.
We will be welcoming new Council members for an upcoming term. If you are interested in leading, collaborating, and contributing to meaningful, systems-level impact in family child care, we encourage you to stay tuned for application information.

Your leadership can help shape the future of family child care accreditation.