early childhood assistant

Overview

Languages
English or French

Education
College/CEGEP

Experience
1 year to less than 2 years

Work setting

• Child care centre
• Nursery school
• Kindergarten
• Day care centre or nursery school

Responsibilities

• Assess the children’s development in order to prepare a learning plan tailored to their needs.
• Assist co-workers in housekeeping and cooking duties.
• Bathe, diaper, and feed infants and toddlers.
• Develop and implement child-care programs that support and promote the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development of children.
• Maintain daycare equipment.
• Storytelling.
• Supervise staff, trainees, or volunteers.
• Synthesize the overall situation of the children and communicate the information to the parents.
• Assist early childhood educators in carrying out programs that promote the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development of children.
• Order supplies and equipment.
• Assist early childhood educators or supervisors in keeping records.
• Encourage children to express creativity through art, dramatic play, music, and physical activity.
• Engage children in activities by telling stories, teaching songs, and preparing crafts.
• Guide and assist children in developing proper eating, dressing, and toilet habits.
• Prepare snacks and arrange rooms or furniture for lunch and rest periods.
• Observe children for signs of potential learning or behavioral problems and prepare reports for parents, guardians, or supervisors.
• Submit written observations on children to early childhood educators or supervisors.
• Discuss progress and problems of children at staff meetings.
• Knowledge of licensing regulations.
• Establish guidelines for behavior.
• Attend staff meetings to discuss progress and problems of children.
• Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with co-workers and community service providers working with children.
• Plan and maintain an environment that protects the health, security, and well-being of children.
• Plan and organize activities for school-age children in child-care programs before and after regular school hours.
• Supervise and coordinate activities of other early childhood educators and early childhood educator assistants.

Credentials

• Child development assistant (ECE level 1).
• Emergency child care first aid and CPR.
• HIGH FIVE training (principles of healthy child development).
• Plan to Protect training.
• First Aid Certificate.
• CPR Certificate.

Experience and specialization
Target audience

• Children.

Experience with special needs children

• Children with a physical disability.
• Children with an intellectual disability.
• Children with behavioral issues.
• Children with Down syndrome.

Area of specialization

• Pre-school education.

Additional information
Security and safety

• Basic security clearance.
• Criminal record check.
• Child Abuse Registry check.
• Immunization records.
• Tuberculosis test.
• Vulnerable sector check.

Work conditions and physical capabilities

• Physically demanding.
• Attention to detail.
• Combination of sitting, standing, walking.

Personal suitability

• Punctuality.
• Dependability.
• Efficient interpersonal skills.
• Excellent oral communication.
• Excellent written communication.
• Flexibility.
• Interpersonal awareness.
• Judgment.
• Reliability.
• Team player.
• Values and ethics.
• Creativity.
• Honesty.
• Ability to multitask.

Employment groups
This employer promotes equal employment opportunities for all job applicants, including those self-identifying as a member of these groups:

Support for persons with disabilities

• Provides visual accessibility accommodations.
• Provides auditory accessibility accommodations.
• Participates in a government or community program or initiative that supports persons with disabilities.
• Offers mentorship, coaching, and/or networking opportunities for persons with disabilities.
• Provides awareness training to employees to create a welcoming work environment for persons with disabilities.

Support for newcomers and refugees

• Participates in a government or community program or initiative that supports newcomers and/or refugees.
• Assists with immediate settlement needs of newcomers and/or refugees.
• Supports social and labour market integration of newcomers and/or refugees.
• Recruits newcomers and/or refugees who were displaced by a conflict or natural disaster.
• Supports newcomers and/or refugees with foreign credential recognition.
• Offers mentorship programs that pair newcomers and/or refugees with experienced employees.
• Provides diversity and cross-cultural trainings to create a welcoming work environment for newcomers and/or refugees.
• Does not require Canadian work experience.

Support for youths

• Participates in a government or community program or initiative that supports youth employment.
• Offers on-the-job training tailored to youth.
• Offers mentorship, coaching, and/or networking opportunities for youth.
• Provides awareness training to employees to create a welcoming work environment for youth.

Support for Indigenous people

• Participates in a government or community program or initiative that supports Indigenous people.
• Offers mentorship, coaching, and/or networking opportunities for Indigenous workers.
• Develops and maintains relationships with indigenous communities.
• Provides cultural competency training and/or awareness training to all employees.
• Facilitates access to Elders who can offer support and guidance to Indigenous workers.

Support for mature workers

• Participates in a government or community program or initiative that supports mature workers.
• Applies hiring policies that discourage age discrimination.
• Provides staff with awareness training to create a welcoming work environment for mature workers.
• Offers mentorship, coaching, and/or networking opportunities for mature workers.
• Offers phased retirement options that allow mature workers to gradually reduce their workload.
• Offers phased re-entry options for mature workers who are returning to work after retiring.
• Provides workspace accommodations for mature workers.
• Offers resources to help mature workers plan their retirement.

Supports for visible minorities

• Participates in a government or community program or initiative that supports members of visible minorities.
• Applies hiring policies that discourage discrimination against members of visible minorities.
• Offers mentorship programs that pair members of visible minorities with experienced employees.
• Provides diversity and cross-cultural training to create a welcoming work environment for members of visible minorities.