Graduates are employed in integrated and community based programs, consultative services and specialized settings serving children with special needs. Models of service delivery and roles of resource teachers vary.

1. Your Early Childhood Education diploma OR your College of ECE registration card.
2. An up-to-date resume that includes details about your work experience as an ECE.
3. A letter of reference from a supervisor or client who can attest to your experience working with children with special needs. The letter should state how many hours/days/months of experience with children with special needs you have. This experience can have occurred during a field placement, volunteer work or paid employment.
4. A completed Freedom of Information waiver.

New students may begin the program in any of the three terms of study (Fall, Winter, Spring/Summer).

Deadlines to apply are:

• For Winter entry: December 1st
• For Spring/Summer entry: April 1st
• For Fall entry: August 1st

Applications will be reviewed within 4 weeks and acceptance letters will be emailed to the email address provided by the student.

It is your responsibility to ensure that program requirements and course prerequisites as outlined are met. Prerequisites are included for your academic protection. Knowledge of the prerequisite material is assumed by your instructor and instruction will proceed accordingly. Students lacking prerequisites not only jeopardize their own ability to succeed but present unnecessary interruption. If you lack appropriate prerequisites (or Transfer Credit for the prerequisite course) you may be asked to withdraw or transfer to a more appropriate course with the risk of academic/financial penalty.

Note:

1. Students are responsible to ensure that program requirements and course prerequisites are met.
2. Students who lacks appropriate prerequisites will be asked to withdraw or transfer to an appropriate course with potential risk of financial and academic penalty.
3. Please check course prerequisites and corequisites before registering. Both fieldwork courses have a co-requisite. Students must register for both academic fieldwork co-requisite courses.

To apply, please fill in the form below and add the following documents:

1. ECE Diploma
2. Resume
3. Reference Letter
4. Freedom of information waiver

For details, please see Entry Requirements.

Prospective students must be approved before registering in this program.

 

As a graduate, you will be prepared to reliably demonstrate the ability to:

1. Build and maintain responsive relationships and partnerships with children with special needs and families from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds including Indigenous peoples' worldviews and Francophone identity, to provide culturally relevant early learning opportunities, programs and services.
2. Recommend, discuss and plan, in partnership with families and early childhood educators, inquiry and play-based early learning program adaptations to accommodate and support learning, holistic development and well-being in children with special needs.
3. Advise and lead early childhood educators and children's service partners in the development of a philosophy of inclusion and policies and practices that support diverse, equitable and accessible learning opportunities for children with special needs and their families.
4. Administer observation strategies and screening tools to interpret and document children's learning and to identify children with challenges and facilitate families' referrals to resources for further assessment and intervention as necessary.
5. Collaborate with children, families, early learning educators, health professionals and children's service partners to facilitate the planning, co-ordination and evaluation of individualized support plans for children with special needs.
6. Plan, deliver and evaluate strength-based training to children, families, early childhood educators and children's service partners to support quality, inclusive early years and child care programs and services for children with special needs and families.
7. Provide consultation, service coordination and referral support to families, early childhood educators and children's service partners to support communication, collaboration and continuity of services for children with special needs and families.
8. Comply with current legislation, regulations, policies and evidence-informed practices in early years and child care settings to provide quality early learning programs and services for children with special needs and their families.
9. Advocate for inclusive, meaningful and purposeful early learning opportunities and services for children with special needs, their families and communities.
10. Engage in reflective practice and keep current in emerging research within the early year's sector to lead initiatives related to inclusive practice and improving early learning opportunities, programs and services for all children and especially those living with special needs and their families.

The ECE Resource Consulting program has two field placement opportunities: ERS203 Introduction to Resource Consulting and ERS302 Collaborative Resource Consulting. Each placement is 105 hours supervised by a qualified Resource Consultant.

How Do the Placements Work?

Placement hours are accomplished within appropriate host agencies (such as schools, childcare centres, rehabilitation centres, early intervention services teams) with host supervisors who are qualified Resource Teachers/Consultants. The time spent in placement is an opportunity for hands-on learning and to incorporate and reflect upon what students are learning online.

Placement hours are part of each fieldwork course, which will also include online readings and assignments. Your fieldwork instructor will liaise with your host supervisor in order to support and evaluate your progress in placement.

Where Will I Do My Placement?

That's up to you. Students are encouraged to research and find placement opportunities that are local to them. It is advisable to search for placements and arrange for a placement opportunity several months in advance of registration in a fieldwork course.

The field placement coordinator or program manager may be able to assist by providing suggestions per locality, however students are expected to make placement arrangements themselves with potential host supervisors.

Your ERS203 placement opportunity must be approved before registering for the placement course by emailing the following information to: stephanie.gallant@senecacollege.ca.

1. Full name, address, phone number of the placement agency
2. Full name and contact details of the Resource Consultant who will be supervising your placement
3. Proposed schedule of placement hours eg. 1 day per week for 11 weeks etc.

Field Placement Documentation

Please ensure that the following documents are current before embarking on placement hours. You will need to have these documents reviewed by the field placement coordinator and/or fieldwork course instructor at the start of term. Your host agency may also require you to submit them for review.

• CPR Level C
• Medical Vaccination Records (including 1-Step TB Test) as reviewed by a physician. Form found here.
• Vulnerable Sector Check (Police Check). Students in the City of Toronto may use the pre-authorized form found here. Others should inquire at their local police office to pursue the Check.