An Ocean of Caring Convener Sponsors
Canadian Child
Care Federation
Founded in 1987,
the Canadian Child Care Federation (CCCF) is a national non profit organization
working to improve the quality of early childhood education and child care. The
mission of the CCCF is achieving excellence in early learning and child care.
With its nineteen affiliated provincial/territorial child care organizations
(including the Certification council of Early Childhood Educators of Nova
Scotia and the Nova Scotia Child Care Association), CCCF focuses on linking
research, policy and practice to support quality early childhood education and
child care services for children and families. CCCF has done extensive research
based resource and material development, including the seven part series
“Partners In Quality”, which includes program
standards as well as best practice standards for staff and administrators. CCCF
also researched and published the “National Statement on Quality Child Care”
(1998). Most recently the CCCF published Occupational Standards for the sector
as well as a National Code of Ethics for Best Practice. All documents are based
on extensive literature reviews and consultations with early childhood care and
education organizations, programs, staff, administrators, and instructors
across
The Certification Council
of Early Childhood Educators of Nova Scotia (CCECCENS) <www.cccns.org/CCECENS.htm>
is a non-profit, volunteer organization that is committed to the development of
a high quality, professional, certified body of Early Childhood Educators. It
is an affiliate of CCCF.
The Certification
Council of Early Childhood Educators has been in operation since the mid 70’s
and currently has certified over 50 members as Early Childhood Educators and 2
members as Early Childhood Centre Administrators. Certification is a process facilitated by a
certified ECE mentor that includes evaluation by peers and oneself and a
validation by a qualified Certification Validator.
Goals:
·
to improve the quality of care for the children of
·
to provide a pathway to greater professional development which allows for
polishing, upgrading and maintaining of skills.
·
to provide a consistent and preferred standard for early childhood
professionals across the province that encompasses all training backgrounds.
·
to demonstrate to society as a whole that we are a credible, professional
group of educators who are accountable to both ourselves and society.
Child Care Connection-NS (CCCNS)<www.cccns.org> is a non profit community
based development organization incorporated under the Nova Scotia Societies
Act. Since 1988, CCCNS has developed a
modest infrastructure to provide support and resources to early childhood
practitioners and others interested in quality child care in
Connections Ends are
“Investments in children will be maximized through recognizing, valuing and
supporting the development of an effective, quality early childhood community
in
·
There
will be a comprehensive, coordinated early childhood community that maximizes
resources.
·
Early
childhood practitioners in
·
There
will be a favourable public image of early childhood
practice.”
The Nova Scotia Child Care Association (NSCCA) <www.cccns.org/NSCCA.htm>is a non-profit volunteer
association for child care practitioners in
NSCCA is committed
to improving standards and guidelines for the profession, and thereby
increasing the quality of child care in
The NSCCA works
with other child care organizations, including Certification
Council of Early Childhood Educators of Nova Scotia, Child Care
Connections, Societé provinciale des intervenantes du préscolaire (SPIP), and Centre
provincial de ressources préscolaires
(CPRP) , to develop and support the infrastructure needed to
gain professional recognition of child care practitioners.
The mission of the Centre of
Excellence for Early Childhood Development (CEECD) <www.excellence-earlychildhood.ca>
is to improve knowledge of the social and emotional development of young
children.
CEECD’s mandate is to foster the
dissemination of scientific knowledge on the social and emotional development
of young children and the policies and services that influence this
development. As well, CEECD formulates recommendations on the services needed
to ensure optimum early childhood development.
The
Early Childhood Learning Knowledge
Centre of the Canadian Council on Learning < www.ccl-cca.ca/ccl> brings together the
best scientific knowledge about the conditions that foster learning in young
children up to the age five years. It identifies the work that Canadian
researchers could carry out to improve scientific knowledge about the
conditions that foster learning in young Canadian children up to the age of
five years. It also identifies best ways
of monitoring the progress of learning outcomes for young Canadian children in
order to inform Canadians. The CLC/CCA transfers
this knowledge to the general Canadian public and particularly to Canadians who
are likely to improve the conditions that foster learning in young children.
le Centre provincial de ressources préscolaires (CPRP) - links the
Acadian/ francophone early learning and child care programs in NS. Provides
services, resources, training, support and information, and has coordinated
many projects that contribute to the infrastructure needed to support quality
early learning and child care in Acadian child care in
Ryerson University's School of Early Childhood Education is the oldest school of its kind in Canada with a proud history and excellent reputation nationally and internationally. From its origins in 1959 as a Preschool Education Option (a two year diploma program), the school has evolved over the years to become a four year Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. In Fall 2006, a Master's in Early Childhood Studies with a concentration on issues of diversity and inclusion was launched. The School of Early Childhood Education has consistently demonstrated its relevance to the learning needs of the communities it has served and its innovativeness in meeting professional interests. .
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is Canada's largest union. With more than half a million members across Canada, CUPE represents workers in health care, education, municipalities, libraries, universities, social services, public utilities, transportation, emergency services and airlines. It is a modern, dynamic and sophisticated union with more than 70 offices across the country.
A strong and democratic union, CUPE is committed to improving the quality of life for workers in Canada. Women and men working together to form local unions built CUPE. They did so to have a stronger voice - a collective voice - in their workplace and in society as a whole. Together they have won the right to negotiate their wages and working conditions; to stop arbitrary action by employers; and to speak out without fear of reprisal. CUPE members are service-providers, white-collar workers, technicians, labourers, skilled trades people and professionals. More than half of CUPE members are women. About one-third are part-time workers.
Nova Scotia Department of Community Services: The Department of Community Services is committed to a sustainable social service system that promotes the independence, self-reliance, and security of the people we serve. This will be achieved through excellence in service delivery, leadership and collaboration with our partners.
The Department of Community Services delivers a wide range of social services to Nova Scotians
in need and works with other levels of government and many community-based non profit
organizations to provide this network of social services.
Nova Scotia Acadian Affairs: Acadian Affairs focuses on increasing the visibility of the Acadian community and promoting its heritage and culture as an essential component of the rich diversity of the Province of Nova Scotia.
Canadian Heritage is responsible for national policies and programs that promote
Canadian content, foster cultural participation, active citizenship and participation in
Canada's civic life, and strengthen connections among Canadians.
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada
through the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Canada/Nova Scotia
Agreement on French-language Services.
An Ocean of Caring Session Sponsors
Mount Saint Vincent University is the only university in Atlantic
Canada to offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in Child and Youth
Study. Graduates from the Bachelor of Applied Arts (Child & Youth Study)
are working in a variety of agencies and services for children, youth
and families. The Master of Arts in Child & Youth Study has a broad
focus and incorporates perspectives from a number of disciplines that
address the contexts and processes of human development. The degree
offers opportunities for further study and career development and
prepares MA (CYS) graduates to assume leadership roles in this expanding
field. Sponsor of "Calling All Inventors" keynote and "Designing Environments for Living and Learning"
two-part workshop session, both by Margie Carter and Deb Curtis.
The Nova Scotia Community College is the sponsor of The Visionary Director:
Going for Bigger Dreams! session. NSCC offers a 2-year Early Childhood Studies
program at three campuses, as well as through alternate delivery.
Child Care Development and Support Resource Centres and full-day,
licensed Child care centres are on site at those campuses offering the Early
Childhood Studies Program.
The Unit for Child Care Research (UCCR), School of Child and Youth Care at
the University of Victoria is pleased to be a co-sponsor of the Broadening
and Deepening our Approach to Quality session of the Ocean of Caring National Child Care
Conference 2007. Since the early 1990s, the UCCR has developed strong and
innovative programs of research and professional development that broaden
and deepen key issues on quality and equity in early childhood care and
education through a number of different, but complementary projects. The
current focus encompasses activities in Canada through the Investigating
Quality Project (IQP) and internationally through the Early Childhood
Development Virtual University (ECDVU).