The Child Care Matters to Everyone event series is presented by the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care and the Association of Early Childhood Educators Ontario with the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

Child Care really does matter to everyone and this event brings together educators, service providers, parents, students, policy makers and concerned citizens to discuss its importance from a variety of perspectives. We hope the day will draw on the strengths of the community to build relationships and identify how we can work together to develop strategies and get involved in advocating for licensed child care and the importance of trained early childhood educators to create the change we need for child care.

Local leaders and advocates will help shape the discussion and workshops focus on navigating current developments, finding your voice and getting involved.

Through these events we hope to:

• Bring together a diverse group from sectors including child care, family resource, education sector, and community groups

• Bring together parents, early childhood educators, local decision makers, child care programs, community college programs, and local municipal child care staff.

• Build leadership skills and actively involve ECEs and child care staff as leaders in their field and in the community.

• Develop local strategies to increase awareness of the benefits of licensed child care and the role played by early childhood educators.

The OCBCC and the AECEO hope to continue to work with you and your community after this conference and welcome your feedback or ideas on how we can support you to continue this important work. 

Confirmed Speakers & Presenters:

Paul Brown, Coordinator, labour programs and services, United Way Peterborough and District

Sandra Robinson, Manager, Children’s Services, City of Peterborough

Mary-Ann Meagher, Team Leader, Community Partnerships, Peterborough Family Resource Centre

Carolyn Ferns, Coordinator, Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care

Viktoria Bitto, RECE, Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care

Shani Halfon, RECE, Interim Coordinator, Association of Early Childhood Educators Ontario

WORKSHOPS

1. Raising our voices together: Answering tough questions about child care

“Why should I pay for other people’s children?” “Isn’t a national child care program too expensive?” This workshop focuses on answering questions and challenging the arguments against investment in child care. We will practice effectively crafting our messages to change the minds of our opponents and build broader support for the value of child care.

Presented by: Carolyn Ferns, Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care

2. Advocacy through art: Portraits of Child Care and beyond

How can we show the value of licensed child care and trained early childhood educators to the broader public? What if they've never seen a high quality child care program? This workshop uses the example of the OCBCC's Portraits of Child Care project to explore how photography and program documentation can show the wider community the value of child care.

Presented by: Viktoria Bitto, Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care

Fleming College, Theatre B3250, 599 Brealey Drive 

If you would like to register by fax or email, download the Registration Form

Free to attend but RSVP is required - Please indicate which day(s) you wish to attend below under the heading “choose shifts”. 

If you wish to attend both Friday and Saturday, please choose both shifts.  Thank you!