WATERVILLE — The Children’s Place Early Care and Education Center, as part of The Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers, has earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children — the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals, according to a news release from Nancy Marshall Communications.

The Children’s Place provides comprehensive early care and education services for children from infancy through age 5. The fully licensed facility accommodates 52 children in one of five developmentally appropriate, learning-focused classrooms.

To earn the accreditation, the organization went through an extensive three-year process, measuring the program’s services against the 10 NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards and more than 400 related accreditation criteria. The standards reflect the latest research and best practices in early childhood education and development. The program received accreditation after an on site visit by association assessors to ensure the program meets and demonstrates the 10 program standards.

Of the 10 standards identified by the association, including teaching, assessment of child progress, physical environment, and relationship with families, The Children’s Place received 100 percent in nine of the areas. In the final standard, a 97 percent was awarded. NAEYC Accreditation remains active for five years, when The Children’s Place will apply for reaccreditation.

In the 25 years since the accreditation was established, it has become a widely recognized sign of high quality and a gold standard for early childhood education. Approximately 7,000 programs are currently accredited by NAEYC-about eight percent of all preschools and other early childhood programs.

The NAEYC Accreditation doubles the early care tax credit due to the recognition of quality, benefiting families in the central Maine community using The Children’s Place. The early care and education organization is developing plans to increase openings for children in the near future.

For more information about The Children’s Place Early Care and Education center, visit mainechildrenshome.org, or contact Program Manager Mandi Howard at mhoward@mainechildrenshome.org or 877-2258.