Early Childhood Educators
- Early child educators or ECEs are trained professionals specializing in the early development and learning of children. They plan and lead activities to stimulate and develop the intellectual, physical, emotional and social growth of preschool and school age children.
- ECEs have a postsecondary education. They have either a college diploma or university degree in early childhood education.
- They are employed in a variety of early learning settings, including: child care centres, private home child care agencies, Ontario Early Years Centres, early childhood intervention programs, schools and colleges.
- Some ECEs are self-employed.
- There are an estimated 29,000 ECEs in Ontario.
- ECEs will be required to register in the new College of Early Childhood Educators once the first elected and appointed council is in place. Early childhood assistants will not be required to register.
College of Early Childhood Educators
The new College is part of the McGuinty government’s Best Start plan to strengthen Ontario’s early learning and child care system to help ready more children to achieve success when they enter Grade 1.
It is the first regulatory college for early childhood educators (ECEs) in Canada. The College will monitor and support high standards in early childhood education. It will also help to ensure Ontario’s children who attend early learning and care programs are being cared for by qualified professionals.
Mandate
The College is a regulatory body that would:
- Set standards of professional practice and ethics that demonstrate respect for diversity and sensitivity to multiculturalism
- Promote excellence in the practice of the profession
- Establish the requirements for professional qualifications
- Maintain a public registry of members
- Establish a public complaints process
- Discipline members for professional misconduct or incompetence
- Set requirements for professional development
Membership Requirements
Membership in the College will be for anyone using the title of early childhood educator or practicing early childhood education in the province. The government will be supporting child care professionals working in licensed child care settings who want to upgrade their qualifications in order to obtain an early childhood education diploma, by providing grants to assist with the costs of training, as well as grants to cover the associated travel and living costs.
The legislation lists those working within the scope of practice of early childhood educators, but who are not required to be members of the College. These include teachers and teaching assistants, nannies and child care practitioners who have been approved under the Day Nurseries Act.
Costs
The College will be a self-governing and self-funding body. The government will provide start-up funds and per diems for the members of the transitional Council. Eventually, the College would become self-financing and operational costs would be covered through membership dues and other fees.
College Council
A transitional Council is setting up the College and preparing for the first elections of the Council. During this transitional period, qualified early childhood educators can register for membership. They would then elect 14 of their peers to the Council. The Lieutenant Governor in Council would appoint 10 members to represent the public. The Council will be required to report annually to the Minister on its activities and financial affairs.
Dealing with Complaints
A public complaints process will be established. A College discipline committee would deal with complaints relating to professional misconduct or incompetence. Discipline hearings would usually be open to the public. An appeals committee would also be created.
The College would define professional misconduct through regulation. For example, this could include abusing a child physically, sexually, verbally, psychologically or emotionally, or practicing the profession while the member’s ability is impaired. The Council or Executive Committee could make an interim order to suspend a member if there is a risk of harm to a child.
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