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| FAQ |
| YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROFESSION AND THE COLLEGE |
What does an early childhood educator do?
Where does an early childhood educator work?
Why is it necessary to regulate the profession?
Why a College for Early Childhood Educators?
Who will be required to apply for registration?
What are the benefits of registration?
What are the requirements for member registration?
How much will it cost to join the College?
How much will it cost to continue to be a member of the College?
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| What does an early childhood educator do? |
- Assesses children’s developmental needs and stages in all developmental domains;
- Designs curriculum to address children’s identified needs, stages of development and interests;
- Plans programs and environments for play and activities that help children make developmental progress;
- Maintains healthy emotional and social learning contexts for children; and
- Reports to parents and supervisors on children’s developmental progress within healthy, safe, nurturing, and challenging play environments.
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| Where does an early childhood educator work? |
Early childhood educators work in a variety of settings including, but not limited to: infant, toddler and preschool (including child care and nursery school) programs; before- and after- school programs, kindergartens and primary grade classrooms; special education and intervention programs; Ontario Early Years Centres; Head Start programs, family supports; home child care programs; parent/child/caregiver drop-in programs, paediatric playrooms and health care settings.
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| Why is it necessary to regulate the profession? |
Self-regulatory organizations exist to serve and protect the public interest. Members of the College are professionals who must meet the entry to practice requirements and standards of practice of the profession. This means that parents may be assured that their children are in the care of a qualified professional.
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| Why a College for Early Childhood Educators? |
Early childhood educators (ECEs) are currently among the few professionals working with young children who are not regulated. Nurses, physicians, teachers, dieticians, pharmacists, psychologists, and other professionals are all regulated by self-regulatory colleges. Regulation of early childhood educators will protect the public and ensure that early childhood education services will be performed safely and competently by qualified professionals. The establishment of a self-regulatory college for early childhood educators confirms the professional status of early childhood educators.
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| Who will be required to apply for registration? |
You have to apply for membership in the College and be registered if you wish to use the title of “early childhood educator” (ECE) or “Registered Early Childhood Educator” (RECE).
No person except a member of the College shall use the English title “early childhood educator” or “registered early childhood educator” or the French title “éducatrice de la petite enfance”, “éducateur de la petite enfance”, “éducatrice de la petite enfance inscrite” or “éducateur de la petite enfance inscrit” or an abbreviation of any of those titles to describe themselves or their profession. [2007, c. 7, Sched. 8, s. 4]
You have to apply for membership in the College and be registered if you wish to engage in the practice of early childhood education or hold yourself out as able to do so. There are certain persons (e.g., teachers and nannies) to whom this requirement will not apply.
No person shall engage in the practice of early childhood education or hold himself or herself out as able to do so unless the person holds a certificate of registration issued under this Act. [2007, c.7, Sched. 8, s.3 (1)]
These requirements will be effective at the end of the transitional period when the balance of the Early Childhood Educators Act is brought into force.
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| What are the benefits of registration? |
Registration in the College will:
- Qualify you for early childhood education positions and you will be eligible to use the restricted title that is protected by law.
- Enhance your professional status within your community and will assure parents that their children are in the care of a qualified professional
- Demonstrate your accountability to College standards of practice which guide early childhood education professionals in their respective roles.
- Give you the opportunity to be involved in the governance and activities of the College.
- Allow you to run for an elected position on the first College Council and vote in the election for Council members.
- Support your role as an early childhood educator through the standards of practice.
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| What are the requirements for member registration? |
Applicants must meet entry requirements to register as a member of the College. See Registration for details.
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| How much will it cost to join the College? |
There is a one-time non-refundable application fee for processing an application, and a registration fee for registration as a member. See Registration for details.
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| How much will it cost to continue to be a member of the College? |
There is an annual fee payable on the anniversary of your registration. See Registration for details.
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