8.1 The College of Early Childhood Educators
One of the pathways that students can take after graduating from this program is registering with the College of Early Childhood Educators (CECE). Pursuing this pathway can lead to becoming a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE). As an RECE, graduates can work in licensed childcare agencies, early learning programs, and a variety of educational settings in Ontario.
The College of Early Childhood Educators (College) regulates and governs Ontario’s Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs) in the public interest. The College was established under the Early Childhood Educators Act, 2007 (ECE Act), and came into existence in February 2009 (College of Early Childhood Educators, n.d.).
As of 2024, there are more than 57,000 members in good standing; the College is one of the largest professional self-regulatory bodies in Ontario and is the only professional self-regulatory body for early childhood education in Canada (College of Early Childhood Educators, n.d.).
The College regulates the profession of early childhood education by establishing and enforcing:
- Registration requirements;
- Ethical and professional standards for RECEs;
- Requirements for continuous professional learning; and
- Complaints and discipline process for professional misconduct, incompetence and incapacity (College of Early Childhood Educators, n.d.).
Becoming a College of Early Childhood Educator (CECE) Member
Once you have completed the ECL program and have your final transcript, you must register with CECE to work as an Early Years professional and call yourself an Early Childhood Educator (RECE) in the Province of Ontario.
Once you have completed the ECL program and are READY to Graduate, you are required to submit an Intent to Graduate form.
The CECE has a new member section on its website that includes a webinar to walk you through the registration process.
New Member Resources | Welcome to the College of Early Childhood Educators
Once your paperwork is processed with the Registrar’s office, usually within ten business days, you will request an electronic transcript from MYCREDS to go directly to the CECE. Before requesting your transcript, check on Webadvisor to see if your transcript shows “graduated.”
Checklist
☐ Go on to the CECE website and click on Apply to the college.
☐ Create an account with the CECE.
☐ Complete the General Application Form.
☐ Pay the Application and Registration fees.
☐ Submit the General Application Form to the College via email and wait for the College to open your application file.
☐ Submit the supporting documents they need through your account on the college website.
