Early Childhood Educator Assistants (ECEAs) are essential in caring for and supporting children, including those with special needs and infants/toddlers. They develop and run programs that help children grow in all areas: thinking, physical skills, social skills, and emotions. ECEAs assist with these programs and tasks to ensure a nurturing environment.

To become an Early Childhood Educator Assistant, one course from our early childhood education training program must be completed:

1. ECEA 1 Child Growth and development.
2. ECEA 2 Child health, safety and nutrition.
3. ECEA 3 Child Guidance Behavior.

This program provides foundational knowledge in Early Childhood Education and supports graduates who wish to apply for ECEA certification through the BC ECE Registry equivalency process.

Program Overview:

Child Growth and development (ECEA 1)

This course provides a historical and theoretical understanding of development throughout the life-span with a focus on physical, cognitive, language and socio-emotional development. Students will explore prominent approaches and theories related to life-span development. Genetic and environmental factors which influence individual growth will be analyzed. Indicators of developmental delays or concerns and associated risks will be explored. Students will also explore strategies that can be used in the classroom to meet the individual needs of students.

Child Growth and Development learning areas:

range of historic and current theoretical approaches to child growth and development

child growth and development as part of on-going life-span development

growth and development in key developmental domains including social/emotional, physical, cognitive, language

genetic and environmental factors which influence individual growth and development

indicators of developmental delays or concerns and associated risks

Child health, safety and nutrition (ECEA 2)

This course provides a deep study of child health, safety, and nutrition. Students will create and maintain a variety of policies that ensure health and safety for children. Students will learn and study how to implement universal precautions, hygiene standards, and procedures. Students will explore how to plan, prepare, and serve meals and snacks that meet a child’s nutritional needs. With a focus on prevention, students will explore strategies to assess, manage, and report illness. Child protection responsibilities and licensing requirements will be studied. Students will learn the theoretical principles of health, safety, and nutrition which they will be able to apply to the early childhood curriculum.

Child Health, Safety and Nutrition learning areas:

Creating and maintaining a safe and healthy environment for children

creating and maintaining policies that ensure health and safety

knowledge and practice of universal precautions, hygiene standards and procedures

planning, preparing and serving meals and snacks which meet children’s nutritional needs

assessing, managing and reporting illness and injuries with a focus on preventative practice

knowledge of licensing requirements for child care and child protection responsibilities as outlined in legislation.

Child Child Guidance Behavior (ECEA 3)

This course provides an understanding of Child Guidance. In this course, students will take an in-depth look at the relationship of environment and the development on children’s behaviour. Students will study strategies, resources, and skills needed to develop positive approaches to guide a child’s behaviour. Caring skills and techniques which support and enable children to develop self-esteem will be analyzed. Students will examine child guidance from infancy to the early primary years. Students will explore what children need from their learning environment in order to thrive in order to thrive. The importance of supporting the well-being of the whole child (emotional, social, physical, creative, and cognitive) is explored.

Child Guidance learning areas: 

Relationship of environment and development on children’s behaviour.

Development of positive approaches to guide children’s behaviour.

Caring skills and techniques which support and enable children to develop self-esteem.