Helping early childhood educators support kids
2022-08-03

Funding of $5.2 million is being provided to the Association of Early Childhood Educators of Alberta (AECEA) and the Alberta Resource Centre for Quality Enhancement (ARCQE) that will give early childhood educators opportunities to enhance their understanding of early childhood brain science and childhood development. These organizations will use the funding to train educators and reimburse them for their training time.  

“Skilled professionals are essential to supporting kids’ learning and development in their early years. Time is often a barrier for educators to access further training, which is why Alberta’s government is allocating this funding to help pay these educators while they enhance their skills and knowledge. This will ensure the next generation of kids is equipped with the tools they need to become tomorrow’s leaders.”

Matt Jones, Minister of Children’s Services

“Early childhood educators do incredible work in nurturing our children. By providing early childhood educators with the training and development opportunities they need, we are supporting their growth and the growth of a high-quality child-care system in Alberta.”

Karina Gould, federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

Of the $5.2 million, $3.6 million is being used to give about 3,000 educators access to the Brain Story Certification course offered through the Alberta Family Wellness Initiative. Educators will also have an opportunity to participate in theory-to-practice sessions, helping transfer knowledge from the course to daily practice.

“Alberta is a global leader in translating the science of brain development into positive life outcomes for citizens, families and communities. This grant makes this crucial body of knowledge available to early educators, ensuring they have the tools they need to help children grow into resilient adults with good mental and physical health.”

Nancy Mannix, founder, Palix Foundation & Alberta Family Wellness Initiative 

“Early childhood educators are essential to the delivery of high-quality learning and child care and they need to be well-educated, supported and remunerated to undertake that work. We are excited to provide educators with an opportunity for continued professional learning on the scientific underpinnings of early brain development and the important role educators play in a child’s early years.”

Carol Sullivan, board chair, AECEA

“Early child educators/caregivers who understand the science of brain development and the importance of nurturing relationships are better poised to have a positive impact on children in their care. By developing knowledge, skills and abilities regarding this science, we can optimize outcomes for our children.”

Robin Gibb, professor and associate chair of curriculum, Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge

The remaining $1.6 million will help up to 350 early childhood educators access professional development and training on childhood development. This will enhance quality programming in early learning child-care settings, particularly when it comes to assessing a child’s development and providing the appropriate supports.

“Recognizing that the first five years of a child’s life is the most formative period of development, ARCQE looks forward to implementing provincewide practice strategies focused on enriching educator capacity and program quality. Through access to specialized training and resources, early childhood educators will be further supported in helping children reach their full potential.”

Corine Ferguson, executive director, ARCQE

The $5.2-million funding is provided through the one-time investment of $56 million in 2021-2022 to support the early childhood workforce under the made-in-Alberta child-care agreement with the federal government. The early childhood workforce funding complements and supports the Canada-wide early learning and child-care vision.