To become an Early Childhood Educator Assistant, one course of a basic early childhood education training program must be completed:
- child development (ECEA100),
- child guidance (ECEA200), or
- child health, safety and nutrition (ECEA300)
Please note that this course is for first time applicants only.
Application fee:
$250
Tuition Fee:
$980
Start Date:
Continuous intake.
There is no wait list.
This course meets the academic requirements necessary to apply for provincial certification for first time applicants.
This program does not require approval by the registrar of the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills & Training. As such, the registrar did not review this program.
The Early Childhood Educator Assistant (ECEA) courses prepare students to work in a licensed child care facility, supporting children who have varying family, cultural, and individual needs. Each of the courses listed above are online courses.
Certification Procedure
- Submit an application to the director of the Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Registry at:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/earlylearning/teach/ece/forms/equivalency_cf4102.pdf - Demonstrate to the satisfaction of the director that the applicant
- is of good character,
- has the personality, ability and temperament necessary to manage or work with children,
- has the training and experience, completed within the previous 5 years, to be an early childhood educator assistant, and
- demonstrates the skills necessary to be an early childhood educator assistant.
- submit the course outline to the director.
After successful completion of the course, in order to receive an ECEA certificate, the applicant must:
ECEA Course Outlines
ECEA 100 Child Growth and Development
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
ECEA 200 Child Guidance
This course provides an understanding of Child Guidance. In this course, students will take an in-depth look at the relationship of environment and 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
ECEA 300 Child Health, Safety and Nutrition
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