City hosts 10th annual Early Learning and Child Care Conference

Parents, caregivers and childhood professionals are coming together for the tenth annual Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Conference.
“The Early Learning & Child Care Conference aims…to develop new relationships with others in their field and to gain knowledge in areas such as child development, guidance and discipline, tips for program planning and other information related to children ages 0 to 5 years old,” said event organizer Aia Clamp, Early Childhood Services Coordinator with the city.
This year’s conference featured giveaways, a buffet lunch, vendor booths, door prizes and a copy of guest speaker Heather Shumaker’s newest book, It’s OK to GO UP the Slide.
Clamp said that participants at the conference will have the chance to learn best practices and enhance their knowledge for caring for young children.
Keynote speaker Heather Shumaker will be speaking about the importance of unstructured play, healthy risk-taking and the benefits of removing homework tasks from elementary schools.
“Topics help parents and caregivers control their fears and move from an over-scheduled life to one that increases free play, enhances family bonds and promotes optimal development in young children,” said Clamp.
Children need positive guidance and to be engaged in meaningful relationships with a caring adult she said.
A topic that she is particularly interested in is how creating a balance between risk-taking and safety can be challenging for caregivers, and Shumaker will be presenting practical ideas to incorporate age appropriate learning into daily routines.
“It will be very interesting to hear how children can learn to develop better judgment skills, confidence and overall physical well-being when given the opportunity to engage in healthy risks in play,” said Clamp.
The ELCC Conference is supported by the city and by the Kidz 1st Network Parent Link Centre to support the early childhood sector.
“The opportunity to network and exchange ideas with others is a valuable asset and learnings gained over the day empowers caregivers to apply best practices based on current research to their work with children,” said Clamp.