All events relating to ECEC

The Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care, CUPE and our labour partners are gearing up for the sixth annual Child Care Worker & Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day. This year we will celebrate and recognize the contribution of child care workers on Wednesday October 25th 2006. In conjunction with the commemoration of this year's Week of the Child (October 14 – October 22), we will be working to encourage municipal governments to officially designate October 25th as Child Care Worker & Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day, and we invite you to join with us.

Problems of child development and social adaptation have now become
a priority in both the public health and education sectors, and are also a
concern for public policy in terms of social costs. Despite their significance,
the magnitude and dynamics of these problems are not well known. This
symposium aims to shed light on the factors that influence the development
and social adaptation of pre-school children. Using the results of
longitudinal studies from Quebec and elsewhere, in particular the Québec
Longitudinal Study of Child Development (QLSCD 1998-2011) conducted
by the Institut de la Statistique du Québec, we will illustrate the evolution
of certain developmental and social adaptation problems during early
childhood, their related factors, consequences and protective aspects.
During the symposium, we will identify promising intervention strategies
and public policies likely to support successful school entry for all children.
Participants will also be given the opportunity to identify information needs
and research required in order to better understand the precursors of
optimal child development, social adaptation and educational success.

This symposium will be of particular interest to managers, professionals,
stakeholders, students and researchers concerned with these questions, as
well as to people working in statistical agencies and research organizations
involved in designing and carrying out longitudinal studies beginning in
early childhood.

This conference is aimed at practitioners, policy makers, parents, academics, students and anyone with an interest in early childhood care and education (ecce). It will provide a valuable opportunity for all those working with young children to actively participate in a dynamic forum which will address key questions of quality in practice. This is a chance for delegates to share information and experiences of practice; to discuss and debate current research findings; to exchange innovative policy approaches and to network with others who are committed to making a positive contribution to provision of quality early childhood experiences for all children.

Keynote Speakers:

- Jacquie Roberts is Chief Executive of the Scottish Care Commission which regulates and inspects all care standards in Scotland.

- Paavi Lindberg is a Senior Planning Officer at the STAKES National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health in Finland. STAKES conducts research on living conditions among children, the prerequisites for children's development, the position of families with children, and family policy.

- Brenda Taggart is Principal Investigator and Research Coordinator for the Effective Preschool and Primary Education 3-11 (EPPE 3-11) project, based in the Institute of Education in the University of London. The EPPE Project is a longitudinal study funded by the DfES investigating the effectiveness and long-term impact of preschool provision.

- Prof. John Coolahan, educationalist, author and former Professor of Education at NUI Maynooth, has been extensively involved in the development of educational policy in Ireland.

NAEYC conferences are highly attended events that allow scholars and practitioners, experts and interns, participants in every aspect of the Early Childhood Education field to gather and learn from one another. The Annual Conference and Expo is one of the largest early childhood education conferences in the world.

This year, Family Service Canada's (FSC) conference aims to highlight community initiatives, agency programs and research that look at the strengths and power of families and communities. The conference will draw attention to the strengths, assets and power for positive change in all families, even those that seem most disadvantaged and vulnerable.

Meeting the Challenge Online is an e-learning course designed to help you prevent and respond to children's challenging behaviours. Pilot-tested by care practitioners from a broad range of settings, it will help you develop effective intervention strategies and enhance children's prosocial behaviour. The course also gives you the opportunity to share your course experience with practitioners from across Canada in an online learning environment.

English Course: Septemeber 11 – November 17 (9 weeks)

French course: September 18 – November 24 (9 weeks)

Registration for fall 2006 courses begins Monday, June 26, 2006! Registration limited to 18 students.