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our values

OUR Work

Our Mission

Committed to Achieving Excellence In Early Learning and Child Care

Our Purpose

Support the development and activities of provincial/territorial child care associations
Provide information and facilitate communication among members of the ELCC community, government and others interested in supporting quality ELCC
Develop models, standards and guidelines for quality ELCC, professional development and organizational design
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The Canadian Child Care Federation: Our Work

 

We are the community in the early learning and child care sector in Canada. Professionals and practitioners from coast to coast to coast belong in our community. We give voice to the deep passion, experience and practice of Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) in Canada. We give space to excellent research in policy and practice to better inform service development and delivery. We provide leadership on issues that impact on our sector because we know we are making a difference in the lives of young children—our true purpose, why we exist— to make a difference in these lives. What gets talked about, explored, shared in our community is always a life changer. And we know that. We are a committed, passionate force for positive change where it matters most—with children. 

We are the trustworthy, inclusive, knowledgeable, credible collaborative leaders who have our hands on the pulse of what is happening in early learning and child care and we make sure it matters! Children are at the heart of what matters, and that is the focus of our work. We are experienced and real pros at what we do best—focusing on the quality of ELCC services for children in Canada. We know that our work with children lasts a lifetime. We care about making a difference—and we are proud of it! We advocate on behalf of our community, and your help in advocacy matters too!

We are visionaries that can see a better Canada through our work. We know the research, we have the passion, we are committed to our work with children and to our own lifelong learning. We are humble experts and hungry learners.  

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The Canadian Child Care Federation is a large, vibrant organization representing and uniting its affiliates and members from across Canada—coast to coast to coast since 1983. It is Canada’s largest national, non-profit, charitable ELCC organization. We’re proud to be a bilingual (our new French content is coming soon) member and service-based organization, focused on early learning and child care. There is simply no CCCF without this nation’s talented and hard working ECEs. 

Position on the Matter of Social Injustice, Race-Based Inequality
Our Clear Position on the Matter of Social Injustice, Race-Based Inequality and our Support of all Children, Families and Early Childhood Educators.
No Child, Family, or Early Childhood Educator Shall Suffer the Injustice of Racism
Despite efforts to embrace diversity, racism in Canada persists. Racism can be subversive and hidden, or reveal itself through actions, attitudes, and communication. We must not be silent when it occurs -- silence condones racism. The Canadian Child Care Federation (CCCF) condemns all forms of racism, discrimination, intolerance, and bigotry. CCCF will speak against any hate. Hate has no place in children’s lives, nor adult lives, and will not be tolerated within the Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) sector.
Social Injustice for Black and Racialized People, Indigenous—First Nations, Métis and Inuit
Current and past events in Canada and abroad have revealed long-standing social injustice for racialized people. Racism against Black, Indigenous—First Nations, Métis and Inuit—Asian, Latino/Hispanic peoples and anti-Semitism and Islamophobia continues to impede equal rights for all. Racialized peoples continue to be harmed by racism and discrimination at disproportionate rates. It is imperative that the Early Learning and Child Care sector recognize both the current and historical injustices that have occurred throughout Canadian history. Standing in solidarity against discrimination and racism calls upon the ELCC sector, from coast to coast to coast, to create a united front against this ever-present reality.

The Canadian Child Care Federation is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in all its work, and strives as an organization to ensure its collective activities, communications and practices are representative of Canada’s diverse ELCC workforce. We work collectively to serve Early Childhood Educators (ECEs), and the families and children they serve.
Proud of the Diversity That Exists in Child Care
CCCF is proud of the diversity that exists in child care centres and home child care programs across the nation. We have long understood as ECEs and caregivers the importance of acknowledging and respecting difference, encouraging understanding, and promoting belonging, friendships and community with young children. We work to recognize and celebrate individual and collective diversity and the richness that this difference brings to all of our realities.

The early years are the most formative years in human development; it is during this time that a young child’s development and understanding of social norms, tolerance and inclusion are formed. We, as professionals, have a critical role to play in positively supporting children’s development and for maintaining our professional support systems that are actively advocating for political, systemic and societal changes.
Our Privilege & Responsibility as ECEs
We, as ECEs, have the privilege and responsibility to provide care and education that sets the foundation for healthy, tolerant children and families and ultimately societies. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), promotes racial equality as a right of all children. The Convention presents an essential guide for ELCC practice, professionalism and advocacy. Additionally, the CCCF Code of Ethics and its National Statement on Quality ELCC specifically call for ECEs to work in ways that enhance human dignity in trusting, caring and co-operative relationships that respect the worth and uniqueness of the individual.
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We are a trusted, well respected, and authoritative national voice that champions high quality ELCC services for all children. We are the national voice for early childhood educators and practitioners who provide high quality early learning and child care services. One of our core goals is to help early childhood educators on their career journey, no matter what stage they’re in.

Along with our provincial and territorial affiliates, we provide and facilitate a collective voice and an inclusive community of sharing, learning, experience, resources, commitment and passion. 

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Grounded in Experience
We are the ultimate “insiders!” We can lead by example because we have been there and done that. We know what we are talking about. We have worked frontline, middle line, in the bleachers, back stage, front of the house, locally, municipally, provincially, federally, even internationally. We are thought leaders whose thoughts are based on real, on-the-ground experience in the early learning and care sector across Canada and across the diverse environments, locales, cultures, identities, and needs of the children of this nation.
National Reach and Scope
We understand that there is no one-size-fits-all in our community. That said, if the system is not meeting the needs of the children served—it is not quality. It is that simple—and that hard. We’re driven by the fact that ECEC league tables produced by UNICEF’s research arm, Innocenti, placed Canada last among twenty five OECD countries (2008). Our nation deserves better, and our early childhood educators deserve better. That’s why our work is so important to us.

Early learning and child care services meet a huge range of needs across very diverse environments, types of settings and geographic locations as well as cultures.

The Early Learning and Child Care sector is similar yet different in all our provinces, territories and communities. We learn from each other and find strength in mutual support and sharing ideas. Our goal is to help ECEs all over the country to continually discover the best this community has to offer.

Beyond our borders
As Canada’s leading organization in early learning and child care, we’ve been invited to several international events such as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) conferences held in Paris. We are also an international partner of the World Forum on Early Learning and Child Care and Storypark. We are also a community for global ECEs, as our content is relevant to everyone. We offer a supporter membership for anyone outside of Canada who would like to be a part of this community.
Practical Application
It is imperative that we talk about quality with deep meaning and understanding. It is definable and is a mesh of nine interrelated elements, taken from the CCCF’s National Statement on Quality, all of which must work together to build and ensure quality:

  • Leadership at the program level
  • Collaborative partnerships with children’s families
  • Indoor and outdoor physical and learning environments
  • A purposeful program that promotes children’s development
  • An ELCC environment that promotes the UNCRC Rights of the Child - A supported workforce
  • Knowledgeable, skilled practitioners
  • Professional administrative practices
  • Effective system infrastructure
Professional Identity
CCCF provides a number of vehicles to support a growing, strong Professional Identity for ELCC practitioners. Published the only made in Canada for Canadian professionals and practitioners national magazine, INTERACTION for over 30 years. Brimming with innovative state-of- the-art thinking, experience, sometimes provocative, always relevant opinions, and research summaries. A publication for practitioners by practitioners.

  • A strong National Awards program to recognize best practice across Canada.
  • Our National Practitioner Code of Ethics designed for and by CCCF members and renowned researchers in the field of ethical practice.
It is the collective professional identity of people who believe that children and the pursuit of high quality early learning and child care are the most essential focus of what practitioners do and how they move forward both ELCC policy and ELCC practice.

Our core team is composed of a dedicated, compassionate team of professionals who care deeply about the well-being of children. The CCCF is made up of some of the most committed board members, affiliate partners, and members in the child care sector. We’re fortunate to have so many amazing people dedicated to this mission.
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Who Are Our Members?

Amazing ECEs from coast to coast

Meet Our CCCF members and discover the community
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Start Your ECE Journey Here

For Every Stage In Early Learning

Discover information from all over our site on this page
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Professional Development for ECEs

Learn At Your Own Pace

Enjoy webinars, articles, book reviews, courses, and find important data for Canadian ECEs
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Supporter membership rate $45 CAD. Join now!

Annual Membership rate $0 CAD with the code from your local affiliate. Join now!

Anyone working in licensed child care has to apply for certification. You will find certification information for your province or territory on our child care certification page.

With your resume and cover letter ready (we’ll provide guides for this soon), contact child care centres and introduce yourself! You can call, email, or even message them on social media. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get a reply. Try again a few days later to give them your resume in person. Remember that due to safety reasons you need to call first. Tell them you live in their area, and that you’re looking for a position.

On our provincial and territorial map we link to child care associations in your area. Follow the link to your association and join today. The associations provide valuable information to anyone starting out in their career. Even experienced ECEs can benefit. You’ll also enjoy valuable member benefits like discounts, meet other ECEs, and become a part of the child care movement in Canada.


If you join your provincial or territorial affiliate, you’re automatically also a member of the CCCF.

All licensed and regulated quality child care programs in Canada require these for the safety and security of children and families.

If you’re just starting out:

  1. Get certified!
  2. Find the requirements for your province or territory
  3. Write your resume and begin your job search. We’ll provide tips on this soon. 
  4. Get your vulnerable sector check and first aid training

Join our Facebook Group and meet other ECEs who may be able to answer your questions

Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) are incredible professionals that have rewarding, important and demanding careers. They work with young children (and their families), ages 0-12, nurturing and educating them, observing and planning for their growth and development while ensuring that they are healthy. They create interactive and dynamic learning environments where children develop social skills, develop cognitive skills and foster lifelong learning. ECEs work in child care centres, classrooms, home child cares, preschool, and parent drop-in programs. You do not need a teaching degree to be an ECE, but you do need your ECE diploma.

Annual Membership rate $90 CAD.
Join now!

Annual Membership rate $65 CAD.
Join now!

Annual Membership rate $65 CAD.
Join now!

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