The College of Early Childhood Educators (CECE) is a professional self-regulatory organization for early childhood educators formed to protect the public interest and focused on quality and standards in the practice of early childhood education. This means that the practice of early childhood education will be regulated by the College in accordance with the Early Childhood Educators Act, 2007, and the regulations and by-laws made under that Act. It is the first self-regulatory college for early childhood educators in Canada.

The Early Childhood Educators Act, 2007, establishes the College of Early Childhood Educators that will be responsible to regulate the profession of early childhood education.

 The Act includes:

• a definition of what constitutes the practice of the profession;
• a requirement for persons to be members in order to practise the profession;
• title protection authorizing only members of the College to use the titles “early childhood educator” or “regulated early childhood educator” or an abbreviation;
• roles and responsibilities of the Registrar; Registration Appeals, Complaints, Discipline, Fitness to Practise Committees; and
• transitional provisions. 

• Setting registration requirements to ensure that only qualified and competent individuals are registered as members;
• Maintaining a public register of early childhood educators;
• Establishing a code of ethics and standards of practice for early childhood educators;
• Investigating complaints from the public about the conduct of its members and, if necessary, disciplining members;
• Setting standards of practice that all early childhood educators are accountable to meet;
• Assuring parents that members of the College will be held accountable for providing a high standard of care and early education for children.

The College is governed by a Council of fourteen (14) elected members of the College and ten (10) public members appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council, who represent sectors of Ontario society as set out in a regulation. The Council makes decisions related to entry to practice requirements, standards of practice, a code of ethics and professional misconduct. The statutory committees of the Council make decisions related to registration appeals, complaints, professional misconduct, incompetence and incapacity.

• Council Member Biographies

The transitional Council of the College of Early Childhood Educators is subject to the Early Childhood Educators Act, 2007 (Act). Persons engaged in the administration of the Act are required to comply with section 51 of the Act to keep confidential all information that comes to their knowledge in the course of their duties, subject to certain exceptions. Breaching the provisions of section 51 can lead to the imposition of a fine as set out in the Act.