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Journey to Belonging and Well-being in Licensed Home Child Care: together we belong.

CONFERENCE DETAILS

Date: September 21, 2024, 8:50am-4pm,

Cost: No cost for this conference

Location: Metro Toronto Convention Centre

222 Bremner Blvd, Toronto

Conference Information

This conference is open to all who work in Licensed Home Child Care programs.

To build on the previous conference experiences, this will be an opportunity to learn, share and celebrate the amazing work you all do to make Toronto’s early learning sector successful, with a focus on Indigenous World Views, anti-Black racism, 2SLGBTQ+, and Educator well-being.

This opportunity is funded in partnership with the Province of Ontario, and the Government of Canada under the new Canada-Ontario Early Childhood Workforce Agreement, which provides one-time federal funding to support the retention and recruitment of a high-quality child care and early years workforce.

In order to register you need to work in Toronto in one of the following roles:

  • Home Child Care Providers of a licensed Home Child Care Agency
  • Home Child Care Consultant/Visitors/Coordinators of a licensed Home Child Care Agency
  • Program Supervisor/Director of a licensed Home Child Care Agency

Photo Consent Disclosure Photographs may be taken at this event. Your image may be used in printed and electronic publications for promotional and educational purposes. If you have concerns about your image being used for these purposes, contact anna.patola@humber.ca

Overview of the Day

8:15am - Registration & Breakfast 

8:50am - Welcome – Room #701

9:15am - Keynote – Marci Gray 

10:15am - Morning Break and Refreshments 

10:30am - Morning Workshops 

  1. The Wonders of Loose Parts and Recycled Materials
  2. Nurturing Healthy Eating in Culturally Diverse Early Years Environments
  3. Understanding a Child's Behaviour
  4. Walking Together: Land-Based Play through Etuaptmumk/Two-Eyed Seeing
  5. Optimize your operations with efficient marketing strategies
  6. Talking About Bodies, Boundaries and Safety
  7. Mental Health and Well-Being for Home Child Care Professionals – The Value of Self-Care
  8. 100 Possibilities with Paper

12pm - Lunch and Networking 

1:15pm - Tabletop exercise and celebration

2:15pm - Afternoon refreshments

2:30pm - Afternoon Workshops 

  1. The Wonders of Loose Parts and Recycled Materials
  2. Nurturing Healthy Eating in Culturally Diverse Early Years Environments
  3. Gifts from Mother Earth- Land Based Programming
  4. Remember, Reflect, Change, and Maintain: How transformative thoughts conquer the day
  5. Parents as Partners - Engaging Families to Support Child Development
  6. Talking About Bodies, Boundaries and Safety
  7. Finding Nuggets of Joy
  8. Panel on supporting children with additional support needs 

4pm - Conference ends

Keynote Speaker

marcy

Marci Gray

Marci Gray is CEO at Gray Matter Health, a growing counselling and consulting firm that provides individual, couple, and family therapy as well as consulting work on Diversity and Psychological Health.

Marci is a speaker, author and mental health advocate who has worked in the field of social services for over 20 years. She is the author of The Empowerment Planner, a Mental Health and Wellness system created to help improve mindset, promote well-being, and foster resilience.

As a dynamic speaker, certified trainer, adult educator and consultant, Marci teaches diverse audiences including executive leadership teams, nonprofit organizations, public servants, first responders, students, parents and employees of small & large corporations.

Her clinical work in the black community as well as PhD studies has equipped her with an informed perspective on anti-racism, psychological health & safety and the cultural stigma of mental health. She continues to do specialized PhD work in this area and provides expert advice on mental health and diversity for media, appearing regularly on Cityline, Breakfast Television, Global, CTV News, and Your Morning.

Morning Workshops 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Presented by: Lori Houle, RECE, Carla Jait, RECE, and Gail Morrow, RECE

During this presentation, participants will explore what loose parts are and the value they can bring into the program.  Participants will also engage in hands-on experiences with a variety of materials and have an opportunity to create a project to take home and recreate in their own programs.

  • What are loose parts?
  • What are the benefits of loose parts?
  • Take home activity.

Presented by: Hilarion Mitchell, BAA, RD

The early years provide the best opportunity to shape a child’s eating habits for life. Food is the cornerstone in many cultures. The traditional foods observed within each cultural group supports socialization and overall health. We serve more diverse clients so it is important to understand the impact of cultural food traditions in fostering healthy eating for the children while in care. The presentation will include the topics below and others.

  • Explore the importance of cultural food traditions.
  • Promote cultural foods for healthy eating at home ant the centre.
  • Understand food environments at home, centre and the community.
  • Review the importance of nutrition in the early years.

Presented by: Janet Scott and Jennifer Cloke-Campbell

Guided by the 4 foundations of How Does Learning Happen participants in this workshop will have the opportunity to learn about the functions of a behaviour.  We will spend time exploring why we see these behaviours in our homes and we will review ways to decease these behaviours by setting up your environments to support successful interactions.  Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and develop solutions to challenges that they are experiencing.

Session highlights include:

  • the importance of relationships
  • understanding consequences
  • behaviour as communication

Presented by: Louise Zimanyi and Elder Albert Marshall

"When we walk together in a good way, we learn to see and know the world through two eyes."

'Walking Together' (Annick Press, 2023) is an innovative picture book, co-authored by Louise Zimanyi and Mi’kmaw Elder Albert Marshall. The story introduces readers to Etuaptmumk, the gift of multiple perspectives in the Mi’kmaw language, also known as Two-Eyed Seeing (E/TES), as we follow a group of young children connecting to nature as their teacher.  This session explores how E/TES braids together the strengths of Indigenous and non-Indigenous ways of knowing and can inspire nurturing respectful, reciprocal, responsible relationships with the Land and Water, plant-life, animals and other-than-human beings for the benefit of all.

Participants will:

  • engage in an interactive reading of  "Walking Together"
  • share experiences of how nature is a teacher through storytelling and drawing
  • discuss how “nature has rights, we have responsibilities” to protect Mother Earth for the ancestors, present, and future generations
  • explore practical ways to engage in and with nature through E/TES for all ages

Presented by: Mothercraft College

To provide high-quality Home Child Care services/programs that can sustain and grow in today’s diverse communities, it is crucial to provide quality services and to implement effective marketing plans. In this session, you will explore essential elements of the innovative marketing plan, including promotion of your services/ programs, reaching out to diverse communities, and using efficient operational strategies. The ways of building authentic relationships with your current and potential clients (families) will also be discussed.

Presented by: Toronto Public Health’s Sexual Health Promotion Team

Talking to young children about bodies and sexuality can be challenging but is important for safety!

In this interactive session, Toronto Public Health's Sexual Health Promotion Team will discuss ways to talk with young children about their bodies, body safety, and provide tools for addressing tough topics and answering challenging questions in a developmentally appropriate way.  Resources will be shared and discussed.

Learning activities will include:

  • Increasing knowledge of children’s sexual health, growth, development, and behaviours.
  • Reflection on personal values and beliefs on sexual health and sexuality.
  • How to create supportive environments for gender inclusive play and gender diverse children and families.
  • Increasing comfort and confidence to respond to parent concerns and questions related to their child’s sexual health, growth, and development.
  • Support for Parents & Caregiver

Presented by: Eva Haralabidis

In this presentation, we will engage in topic discussion followed by activities. The concept is that before we can care for others, we must first take care of ourselves. Using a supporting visual guide, what does it mean to self-care? Participants may come from a variety of backgrounds; therefore, ideas of what self-care is may vary, highlighting that self-care is unique to the individual. Activity – What is self-care to you? Basic for ESL participants with supporting handouts and slides.

Home child care professionals may experience various types of stress from caring for others, leading to burnout. It is important to notice the various indicators of stress and check in with oneself mentally, physically and emotionally. Activity – Stress-assessment BINGO game – easy for ESL and takeaway cards for reflection.

Having a self-care plan will help identify support systems that can be used to manage stress and provide protective factors.  Support can be found in relationships, community, culture and society.

What an attendee will learn from this presentation:

  • The importance of self-care as a child care provider
  • Self-care is unique to each individual - What is self-care to you?
  • How to recognize personal indicators of stress; when you need support and how to get it
  • Creating a self-care plan with decompressing and coping strategies

Presented by: Heather Jackson

The Sunflower School has been engaged in a 3-year project about our relationship with materials for young children.  Educators should have the opportunity to research and walk alongside children with materials so that they can offer the children one hundred different ways to play with a material. In How does learning happen (2014) it states that children learn in 100 different ways and materials can extend and enrich this concept.

In this workshop, we will look at paper from a lens of complexity and hands on experiences for you and your children. Paper is an anonymous material; it is everywhere but unseen for its true potential.  We will walk through a paper project for children 12 months to 5 years old to see the 100 possibilities.

The images and conversations of the children are truly magical. How does paper come off of the table to reach its full potential? How does paper transform? What questions and theories do the children seem to be exploring through their play ( Pg 40 HDLH). How are children’s questions and theories tested, revised, and communicated? (Pg 40 HDLH). We will explore tools to use with paper, taking paper outside, new vocabulary to use with paper explorations, and beautiful children’s books to explore about paper.

This is a hands-on active encounter with paper.  

  • To see materials like paper in a different way
  • To learn to use paper in 100 different ways
  • To move away from child created products to play experiences
  • To learn about complex play experiences for children aged 1 year to 5 years
  • To learn about a free flow of play set ups

Afternoon Workshops 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Presented by: Lori Houle, RECE, Carla Jait, RECE, and Gail Morrow, RECE

During this presentation, participants will explore what loose parts are and the value they can bring into the program.  Participants will also engage in hands-on experiences with a variety of materials and have an opportunity to create a project to take home and recreate in their own programs.

  • What are loose parts?
  • What are the benefits of loose parts?
  • Take home activity.

Presented by: Hilarion Mitchell, BAA, RD

The early years provide the best opportunity to shape a child’s eating habits for life. Food is the cornerstone in many cultures. The traditional foods observed within each cultural group supports socialization and overall health. We serve more diverse clients so it is important to understand the impact of cultural food traditions in fostering healthy eating for the children while in care. The presentation will include the topics below and others.

  • Explore the importance of cultural food traditions.
  • Promote cultural foods for healthy eating at home ant the centre.
  • Understand food environments at home, centre and the community.
  • Review the importance of nutrition in the early years.

Presented by:  Nicole Cummings-Morgan

In this interactive session, participants will use the RRCM (Remember, Reflect, Change, and Maintain) approach to understand how transforming their thoughts can help with everything from confronting anti-black racism to managing the daily challenges of being in the home childcare profession. By transforming thoughts, professionals in the home care business will acquire the knowledge required to conquer the day and manage their mental health and well-being. This holistic strategy not only addresses immediate concerns but also fosters long-term resilience and well-being, essential for those in demanding caregiving positions.

By focusing on thought transformation, this session offers a pathway to improved mental health, ultimately benefiting both caregivers and those they care for.

Participants will:

  • - gain a better understanding of what anti-black racism looks like and how confronting anti-black racism can lead to better relationships with the children, families and people they work with.
  • - discuss strategies on how best to use these thoughts for positive mental health and well-being.
  • - be introduced to practical tools and insights, enabling them to navigate the complexities of their roles more effectively.
  • - leave with a renewed sense of purpose and a concrete plan for incorporating the RRCM approach into their daily routines.

Presented by: Kim Kirkley

In this session we will explore life cycle of the Gifts Mother Earth presents. We will discover different learning experiences we can do with the children to include in your program to support land-based learning. During the session we will also explore how we can bring the outside environment inside to support children’s learning.

Presented by: Andrea Seater, RECE, BA

This workshop will focus on the importance of building positive, respectful and productive relationships with parents and caregivers so that children will achieve success in their early childhood setting. Staff mental health benefits when the childcare environment has all people working together with common goals.

Topics will include:

  • Learning about the child and family through the F words 
  • Exploring developmental checklists
  • Communicating with caregivers about their child’s progress/success/challenges
  • Understanding what to do if there are concerns in development
  • Reviewing advocacy tips and community resources

Through group activities, informal discussion, and reflection on staff’s personal work environment, participants will be encouraged to look at how they engage with caregivers and how this relationship can influence positive change in the children attending their programs.

Presented by: Toronto Public Health’s Sexual Health Promotion Team

Talking to young children about bodies and sexuality can be challenging but is important for safety!

In this interactive session, Toronto Public Health's Sexual Health Promotion Team will discuss ways to talk with young children about their bodies, body safety, and provide tools for addressing tough topics and answering challenging questions in a developmentally appropriate way.  Resources will be shared and discussed. 

Learning activities will include:

  • Increasing knowledge of children’s sexual health, growth, development, and behaviours.
  • Reflection on personal values and beliefs on sexual health and sexuality.
  • How to create supportive environments for gender inclusive play and gender diverse children and families.
  • Increasing comfort and confidence to respond to parent concerns and questions related to their child’s sexual health, growth, and development.
  • Support for Parents & Caregivers

Presented by: Alison Grbic

Finding Golden Nuggets of Joy is finding nuggets of gold! After going through adversity or times of challenge especially during/after the pandemic, many educators/caregivers and families have been negatively effected causing fear, depression, isolation and mental health issues which is subsequently on the rise. This has made it difficult to have hope for the future and see effective ways to move out of stagnancy or feeling stuck and seeing only the negativity to liberating ourselves, taking responsibility for our own happiness and deciding to have joy and create positive experiences in our lives. In this workshop, participants will learn practical steps on how to shift their perspective on their career and their relationships with children, parents and colleagues to find the silver lining in challenging times-focusing on finding and remembering the things that bring them joy, fulfillment and self care. Through seeking ways to raise our own vibrations (ie. power of music), and filling our own cup, they will gain positive ways to express themselves intuitively and using discernment in clear, concise communication building their assertiveness skills as well as positive collaboration.

Participants will learn:

  • Ways to assess where there are "joy zappers" and "joy bringers" in their life which could be a person, place, thing or even things within ourselves holding us back from joy. 
  • Practical steps, tools and methods they can apply in both the work or home environment to release negative things in their lives, focus on the positive and making a manifestation plan to taking action towards joy.
  • The importance of finding their own joy, self care, happiness and being proactive towards their own mental health and well being and how the choices they make effect those around them in their home life, organizations and the community - so lets choose joy for ourselves & see the benefits it has on our mental health, emotional well being and that of others too!

Presented by: Joy Duff, Resource Consultant, Farida Hafiz-Zadeh, RECE, RT, BA, Resource Consultant, Khadijah Abdul-Gafoor, Parent, Al-Emran, Paretn

The panel session aims to provide Home Child Care Providers with insight from a parent’s point of view when a child is experiencing behavioural, emotional, or developmental concerns. Participants will also hear from Resource Consultant’s whose role it is to support the child, family, and the Home Child Care Provider through a collaborative approach.

Location & Contact

Metro Toronto Convention Centre

South Building
222 Bremner Ave
Toronto, Ontario
Metro Toronto Convention Centre | Epic Conferences, Events & Trade Show Venue (mtccc.com)

Parking

The facility has 1,700 indoor parking spaces between the North and South Buildings. Express-Pay (credit card) parking makes getting into and out of the parking garage a breeze! Visa, MasterCard and Amex are accepted in parking as well as cash. We encourage credit card payment as our high speed line is quick and Express Lanes are available.

Parking fee: $30

Registration inquiries contact: citywidetraining@humber.ca

Directions

From East:

  1. Take Highway 401 West to the Don Valley Parkway South
  2. Follow the Don Valley Parkway South to the Gardiner Expressway
  3. Exit at the Yonge/York exit
  4. As you exit the ramp continue west along Lakeshore Blvd. to Lower Simcoe St.
  5. Turn right at Lower Simcoe St. then turn left into the south building garage

From West:

  1. Take Highway 401 East to Highway 427 South
  2. Follow Highway 427 South to the Gardiner Expressway
  3. Exit at York St.
  4. Proceed north two lights to Bremner Blvd.
  5. Turn left on Bremner Blvd.
  6. Turn left on Lower Simcoe St. then turn right into the south building garage

From North:

  1. Take Highway 400 South to Highway 401 West
  2. Follow Highway 401 West to Highway 427 South
  3. Follow Highway 427 South to the Gardiner Expressway
  4. Exit at York St.
  5. Proceed north two lights to Bremner Blvd.
  6. Turn left on Bremner Blvd.
  7. Turn left on Lower Simcoe St. then right into the south building garage

Transit

TTC & GO:

  1. Exit at Union Station
  2. Proceed west on Front Street to the North Building
  3. Access the SkyWalk to enter the South Building
  4. Alternatively, exit Union Station proceed West on Front Street to Lower Simcoe, walk south to Bremner Ave – the building is on your left.
Register Now 

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