Day honours child care workers, early childhood educators
It was Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day on Thursday, a day to recognize early child care professionals who work with young children on a daily basis.
Officials at Discovery Early Learning & Care in Sudbury said the day is about acknowledging the hard work early childhood educators do, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“They have stepped up, they’ve changed everything they’ve needed to do,” said Tracy Saarikoski, executive director.
"When we were closed, there was online learning happening, storytelling, songs, science experiments all happening with children and families to engage them at Discovery Early Learning & Care."
“It’s a lot of heart work and hard work,” she added.
For the past eight years, Nikita Lefebvre has been an educator at Discovery Early Learning & Care.
She said in spite of the pandemic and its challenges, she still looks forward to teaching young kids each day.
“Being able to teach them things like empathy and connection and to be able to move forward with those belonging and skills in their school life and in their adult life ... really does end up leaving a little bit extra special in the world,” said Lefebvre.
Educators said there are a shortage of ECE workers in Ontario as well as here in Sudbury. They said it’s led to some closures within the centres.
“We’ve had to close some programs and groups because we don’t have the staff to manage it,” said Saarikoski.
"So, on top of our regular ratios that’s legislated to us, we also have to abide by these 'cleaners and screeners.' Where do you find those extra humans to help support? We have a job posting that’s been out for probably a year and a half continuously."
Officials at Cambrian College said each year, the enrolment within the ECE program ranges anywhere from 150 to 200 students. The school offers an alternative program as a way to keep people in the field.
“It’s for people that are already working in childcare but don’t have their credentials,” said Janice Clarke with Cambrian College.
"We give them the opportunity in that program to stay working full time, but come to the college full time to get their credentials."
Licensed child care centres said they are always looking for registered early childhood educators and qualified support staff.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Competition bureau finds 'substantial' anti-competitive effects with proposed Bunge-Viterra merger
The proposed merger of agricultural giants Viterra and Bunge is raising competition concerns from the federal government.
Douglas DC-4 plane with 2 people on board crashes into river outside Fairbanks, Alaska
A Douglas C-54 Skymaster airplane crashed into the Tanana River near Fairbanks on Tuesday, Alaska State Troopers said.
NASA hears from Voyager 1, the most distant spacecraft from Earth, after months of quiet
NASA has finally heard back from Voyager 1 again in a way that makes sense. The most distant spacecraft from Earth hadn't sent home any understandable data since last November.