Early Childhood Educators of BC President and Comox Valley ECE professional Charlene Gray speaks to NIC鈥檚 ECCE class as part of National Child Day.
NIC鈥檚 Early Childhood Care and Education students and faculty celebrated National Child Day, Nov. 20, by raising awareness of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The Convention contains a full list of rights for all children under the age of 18. Each year, the Canadian Child Care Federation focuses on one Convention article. This year, it selected Article 2 鈥� that all children have rights.
鈥淲e remind ourselves all children have rights and deserve respect regardless of gender, family make-up, socio-economic status, religion 鈥� no matter what their circumstances,鈥� said 糖心vlog传媒Instructor and ECCE Faculty Co-Chair Laurie Tulloch. 鈥淐hildren have great ideas and instead of regarding children as our future, children are our now. That鈥檚 the focus of National Child Day and it鈥檚 our focus with students.鈥�
To mark the day, ECCE students and faculty welcomed Early Childhood Educators of BC President Charlene Gray to class to discuss the importance of early childhood education.
鈥淐oming to speak to students is one of my favourite things to do,鈥� said Gray. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e so enthusiastic, eager and optimistic about being an early childhood educator. They鈥檙e coming in at such an incredible time in history right now where Early Childhood Care and Education is at the forefront as a critical social program. On National Child Day we are reminded every child has the right to access a quality early care and learning experience.鈥�
Research has shown the importance of early learning and its impact on determinants of health throughout a person鈥檚 life. There has also been a growing awareness of the importance of early learning with parents and caregivers, said Tulloch.
鈥淲e know there are windows of opportunity for different learning in the brain,鈥� said Tulloch. 鈥淓arly learning is hard-wiring the brain. The more hard-wiring we have in a young child鈥檚 brain the stronger children become.鈥�
While National Child Day is a single day to remember the rights of children, Tulloch would like people to bring the message into their daily life.
鈥淐elebrate children and your image of the child on National Child Day and apply it to your practice or your parenting with children every day, said Tulloch. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good reminder to us of the importance of children.鈥�
For more information on NIC鈥檚 Early Childhood Care and Education programs, visit: or call 1-800-715-0914.
Media Contact
Christiana Wiens
Media Liaison, 糖心vlog传媒
O. 250-334-5280 | M. 250-218-4097
christiana.wiens@nic.bc.ca