Current Projects

Current projects include:

• Occupational Standards for Early Childhood Educators

Project Summary

This project focused on updating the previous set of “Occupational Standards for Childcare Practitioners”, developed by the Canadian Childcare Federation in 2003, and was undertaken with the participation and input of over 1000 early childhood educators (ECEs) and key stakeholders across Canada. Since these standards were first established, the sector has evolved and developed. As a result, the Occupational Standards were updated to ensure that they accurately reflect the full scope of the role of ECEs and fully document all knowledge, skills, and abilities required. The revised Occupational Standards for Early Childhood Educators were released in Spring 2010.

* Information sessions describing “Training/Education Gaps” and “How To” (use the standards) are now available to groups across Canada. If you have a group that is interested in holding an information session, please contact us to discuss possible dates and availability.

Project Outcomes

• Defined core occupation in ECEC and identified any additional or emerging issues such as: school age care, infant care and family care.
• Increased understanding of the standard’s applications among key stakeholders and end users.
• Increased access to, and availability of, tools designed to support skills development in the sector’s core occupation.
• Identified perceived gaps between current training (of ECEs) and the core occupation in ECE.

Project Activities – Complete

• Occupational Standards for Early Childhood Educators. To download your free copy or to order the print version, click here.
• “How To” Guide: a document that describes different uses of the standards such as job descriptions and evaluations. Information sessions describing how to use the standards are available.
• Training Gaps Analysis: a study conducted in order to determine if the perceptions of trainers and provincial/territorial officials on training gaps are consistent with front-line ECEs. Information sessions on the results of this analysis are available.

Timeframe: September 2008-November 2010