Abu Dhabi develops world's first quality assessment system for children's activities

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi has developed the world's first quality assessment system of its scale for places and activities used by children outside schools and nurseries, covering everything from parks and playgrounds to museums, libraries and entertainment centres.

The Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA) said the Quality Recognition System (QRS) would assess venues and services against six standards, including safety, child development, staff competence, inclusion, community engagement and governance.

The initiative is designed to help parents make informed decisions about where their children spend time, while encouraging businesses and service providers to improve the quality of experiences available to children from birth to age eight.

The system has undergone a pilot phase involving 35 facilities and service providers across seven categories of children's activities. These participants were drawn from more than 270 eligible services and experiences identified across Abu Dhabi.

According to the authority, the framework is the first of its kind globally in terms of the breadth of its application, extending quality assessments beyond traditional educational institutions to places where children play, explore and develop new skills.

Six standards for children's venues

The assessment covers six areas: health and safety; child development and engagement; human capital; inclusion and diversity; community participation; and governance and operations.

The framework is intended to help identify strengths and areas requiring improvement at children's venues, including holiday camps, after-school programmes, children's libraries, parks, playgrounds, museums, cultural centres and family entertainment facilities.

During the pilot phase, assessors conducted more than 75 site visits and provided over 100 hours of direct support to participating organisations.

Facilities also completed self-assessments, underwent independent reviews by trained advisers and gathered feedback from families using their services.

The authority said the process had already prompted practical improvements before facilities received their final assessments.

Some organisations strengthened child protection policies, expanded staff training and obtained accredited first-aid qualifications for employees. Others created additional play areas for younger children or explored ways to give parents greater visibility into their children's activities.

One participating organisation extended improvements across several branches.

Helping parents choose safer experiences

Dr Hessa Al Kaabi, Executive Director of Special Projects and Partnerships at ECA, said the system addressed parents' desire to find safe places offering high-quality experiences that support their children's growth and development.

She explained that working with service providers to improve these experiences was another step towards making Abu Dhabi a more family-friendly emirate.

Al Kaabi also highlighted the contribution of participating organisations, whose feedback and experience helped refine the assessment framework before its official launch.

Dr Hanan Sukkar, an early childhood care and education adviser at the authority, explained that the pilot had provided a closer understanding of children's experiences across different settings.

The willingness of participating organisations to review their practices and make improvements, she noted, would help strengthen children's safety, wellbeing, sense of belonging and enjoyment of learning.

Expansion planned

The authority began developing the assessment system in March 2025, drawing on international practices adapted to the UAE's culture, values and community needs.

The initial development plan also envisaged eventually expanding the framework to cover services for children up to the age of 18.

ECA is continuing to refine the system using lessons from the pilot phase before its formal launch. It has invited service providers interested in voluntarily participating in quality improvement efforts during 2027 to contact info@eca.gov.ae.

The authority recently honoured the 35 participating facilities and service providers as "Quality Pioneers" during a ceremony at the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi in late October.

Participants received commemorative plaques and digital badges recognising their involvement in testing and developing the framework, allowing families to identify organisations committed to continuously improving children's experiences.