ECE Specialized Certification Grant

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Effective January 2024, Early Childhood Educators of BC (ECEBC) are responsible for administering the Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Specialized Certification Grant.

The purpose of the ECE Specialized Certification Grant is to incentivize educators to up-skill and obtain their Specialized Certificate(s) – Infant and Toddler Educator (ITE) and/or Special Needs Early Childhood Educator (SNE) – and to work in the child care sector with children ages 0 to 5, given current workforce shortages in BC. The grant also recognizes long-standing educators holding their Specialized Certificate(s) for their continued commitment to working with children ages 0 to 5 in the child care sector.

Eligible applicants must:

  • Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

  • Hold a valid Infant and Toddler Educator Certificate and/or Special Needs Early Childhood Educator Certificate.

  • Currently work with children ages 0 to 5 in a licensed child care program or an Aboriginal Head Start program for an average of 10 hours per week (which can be calculated over the course of the month). This includes Supported Child Development (SCD) and Aboriginal Supported Child Development (ASCD) support workers meeting these criteria (see the website at Individuals working in licensed child care or Aboriginal Head Start programs are eligible to apply for the grant. This includes individuals working within the following designations:

  • Licensed Group Child Care

  • Licensed Multi-Age Child Care

  • Licensed Preschools

  • Licensed Family Child Care

  • Licensed In-Home Multi Age Child Care

  • Licensed Group child care (School Age) and School Age Care on School Grounds (if Kindergarten children are enrolled).

  • Aboriginal Head Start

  • Supported Child Development (SCD) and Aboriginal Child Development (ASCD) support workers who work with children in any of the above settings. Applicant may be employed by the child care provider OR by the contract agency who provides SCD/ASCD.

  • While eligible applicants must hold at least one Specialized Certificate, their work experience in an eligible child care setting may pre-date their Specialized Certificate(s). For the 12-month employment requirement, this may have been completed in any of the eligible settings and hours completed as an ECE Assistant, ECE or SCD/ASCD support work all counts towards this requirement. For both the previous and current employment requirements, only hours working with children 0-5 are counted.

  • For example, if an applicant works with an eligible employer (e.g., licensed preschool) and works with an employer that isn’t considered eligible, only the hours worked in the eligible child care setting count towards determining eligibility. (See “eligible employment criteria” below).

  • Have been continuously employed and working with children ages 0 to 5 in an eligible work setting(s) for the previous 12 months (see “definition of continuous employment” on the ECEBC website at https://ecebc.ca/bursaries-grants/specialized-certification-grant )

For detailed information on the grant application process, go to https://www.ecebc.ca/bursaries-grants/specialized-certification-grant There is a downloadable pdf with detailed information on eligibility, the application process, and required documentation, at: https://www.ecebc.ca/application/files/1217/0992/0890/ECE_Specialized_Certification_Grant_Guidelines_2024-03-08.pdf

Successful applicants holding one Specialized Certificate will receive a $2,000 grant and those holding both Specialized Certificates will receive a $3,000 grant. An approved applicant may only receive one grant per year. Applicants who continue to meet eligibility requirements for the grant in subsequent years will be able to reapply the following year as of the month the previous application was submitted and approved.

Early Childhood Develo..., FundingJessica Campbell