Employer Newsletter – Summer 2022

Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs) now have access to the College of Early Childhood Educators’ (the College) updated Continuous Professional Learning (CPL) Program (2022).

The CPL Program was revised to:

• Include the government mandated Sexual Abuse Prevention Program;
• Respond to member and stakeholder feedback and data collected since 2017; and
• Simplify the program and reduce stress considering the impact of the pandemic on the sector.

The CPL Program 2022 includes:

• Educational components:
  • Expectations for Practice Module
  • Sexual Abuse Prevention Program
• One-Year CPL Portfolio Cycle

Sexual Abuse Prevention Program

The Sexual Abuse Prevention Program is available online to all members. It can be accessed at any time and at no cost, in both English and French via My College Account.

Mandated by the provincial government, the Sexual Abuse Prevention Program builds on the skills and knowledge RECEs already have in this area and provides an opportunity to reinforce the position of trust they have with families and their community in terms of child protection.

The subject of child sexual abuse is difficult and sensitive.  As an employer, you know your team and can encourage RECEs to work through and complete the program together. Engaging in reflection and dialogue with staff and colleagues in your network can enhance learning and provide additional support.

Coming Soon: Live, Facilitated Workshops for Employers

Stay tuned for an email inviting you to a live, facilitated workshop – in collaboration with the Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres – to provide support to you with understanding trauma, triggers and trauma-informed care for you and RECEs.

Mark your calendars to attend the workshops:

• French: September 27^th
• English: September 29^th

The College will send you more information on the times of the workshops and how to register.  

How can you support your staff with their ongoing learning?

Employers can support RECEs by understanding the CPL Program, which includes two Educational Components and the CPL Portfolio Cycle.

Other ways to offer support are by:

• Providing opportunities for discussion;
• Sharing of ideas and resources; and
• Offering time for RECEs to complete requirements.

Through the performance management process, employers may collaborate with an RECE to develop portfolio goals that are mutually beneficial, both to the RECE as a professional and to the employer.

Resources employers can review, share and discuss with staff

College resources that RECEs are required to review for the Sexual Abuse Prevention Program:

• Professional Advisory : Duty to Report
• Racism and Bias in Reporting to Child Welfare
• Sexual Abuse Prevention Program Scenarios

Other useful resources:

• CPL Portfolio Cycle 2022 Webinar
• Examples of CPL Activities
• Forms of Documentation
• Reflective Practice and Self-Directed Learning
• Communities of Practice
• Mentoring
• Leading Professional Practice Discussions

Explore the updated CPL Program web page with new content, resources and information. Also visit our FAQs for Employers. 

Back to Top

To become a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE) with the College, one must go through our registration process. Registration as an RECE assures employers and the public that an individual is fully qualified to practice safely, competently and ethically. Once the College receives all supporting documents, we can start to assess an application. The assessment timeline varies depending on the complexity of the file.

If you are looking to hire a new employee who still needs to register with the College or is going through the registration process, here’s what you should know about the process:

• Before you hire, find out Who’s Required to Be a Member?:
• There are two streams for applicants to apply to the College. An applicant’s stream depends on how they meet the education requirement for registration. The two streams are:
  • The General Application stream – This stream requires less supporting documentation because the education pathway has been assessed with the program standard. A person can apply through the general application stream if:
    • They received an ECE diploma from an OCAAT program;
    • They completed a diploma or degree from an Approved program; and / or
    • They hold a license or certification from another province that is recognized under the Labour Mobility Act
  • The Individual Assessment stream – This stream is for applicants who do not meet the education requirement through the General Application stream. This stream requires more supporting documentation because the College must assess whether the applicant’s education and experience meet the Program Standards and the Vocational Learning Outcomes. To learn more about the Individual Assessment process, please visit Understanding the Process for the Individual Assessment of Educational Qualifications on the College’s website.

Did you know?

 It is an employer’s responsibility to check if their staff are in Good Standing with the College.

Here are the specifics on how to check the status of an RECE:

• Go to the public register – This is the only valid source of information available to the public and employers to confirm the status of an RECE. The College does not provide membership cards, and the certificates given to members by the College are only for commemorative purposes; a certificate can never be used to validate a person’s standing with the College.
• The easiest way to look someone up on the public register is by their registration number. If you use this identifier in the search, you do not need to fill in any other search fields. You can also use the individual’s legal name to search the public register, if you do not have their registration number.
• The public register not only includes a person’s current membership status, but also their history with the College.
• Members are required to renew their membership each year. Review this graph about the Renewal process to know when each of your staff should be renewing their membership.

An important note: If an RECE on your staff has their membership with the College suspended, they need to stop working immediately.  They must reinstate their membership to start working again. You can learn more about the reinstatement process on our website.

Back to Top