Brain Story Reimbursement

The Brain Story Certification course provides detailed scientific information for those seeking a deeper understanding of brain development and its consequences for lifelong health. Participants receive certification in brain story science upon course completion.

All early childhood educators (ECEs) who have completed their Brain Story certification course after February 25, 2022 and work in a licensed/approved child care program are eligible for reimbursement. For the 20-hour Brain Story Certification, ECEs can expect to receive $17.50/hour ($350.00) in reimbursement through their employer. Programs can expect $1.33/hour ($26.60) to offset wage-related expenses for the ECE. NOTE: This reimbursement is NOT LINKED to the Release Time Grant offered by Children's Services. The 20 hours DO NOT count towards the hours of the Release Time Funding grant, and reimbursement will come from AECEA, not from Children’s Services.

This reimbursement is available to both AECEA members and non-members.

Apply for reimbursement using the form below. ECEs must upload their Child Care Staff Qualification Certificate and their Brain Story certificate of completion. We are unable to provide reimbursement directly to an individual. Programs will need to complete an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) form to receive the funds. The form along with instructions on where to send it can be found here.

Please see our FAQ at the bottom of the page to answer any questions you may have on the reimbursement process.

Following completion of the Brain Story Certification course, ECEs are encouraged to continue the learnings as it applies to Flight by joining Theory-to-Practice sessions offered by AECEA and receive an additional 10 hours of reimbursement upon completion.

Brain Story Certification Reimbursement Funding Dispensed to Date
$1,045,065.00

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Child Care Organization

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How did you obtain your certification?

If you achieved your certification by completing an early learning and child care post-secondary certificate, diploma, or degree, please select education. If you achieved your certification by any other method, such as what can be found in Appendix B in the certification guide for early childhood educators, please select equivalency.

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Brain Story Reimbursement FAQ

For all other inquiries please contact us via email at brainstory@aecea.ca. AECEA staff will do their best to respond as soon as possible.

Is this reimbursement linked to the Release Time Grant offered by Children's Services?

No, this reimbursement is NOT LINKED to the Release Time Grant offered by Children's Services. The hours DO NOT count towards the hours of the Release Time Funding grant, and reimbursement will come from AECEA, not from Children’s Services.

Am I eligible to receive funding for the Brain Story certification course time?

If you work for a licensed and approved program and have successfully completed this course between February 25, 2022 and March 31, 2024, you are eligible to receive funding for the 20-hour course time. These hours do not count towards the hours for the Release Time Funding grant, so you are still eligible to receive funding.

How do I get reimbursed for the 20-hour Brain Story Certification course?

If you have successfully completed the Brain Story Certification course after February 25th, 2022, you can fill out the form here. Once you have completed and submitted this form, AECEA will review your application. When approved, AECEA will send this reimbursement to your program who will then distribute the funds to you. An electronic funds transfer (EFT) form will need to be submitted in the name of the organization.

I took the Brain Story Certification course a while ago and want to refresh my knowledge of this before participating in the Theory-to-Practice sessions; how do I access these modules?

All individuals who have previously completed the Brain Story Certification course can go back to the Alberta Family Wellness Initiative website and login to review the content. If you do not have this log-in information, please contact the Alberta Family Wellness Initiative directly to regain access.

My application for reimbursement for the Brain Story Certification course was denied – why?

When filling out this form, you must upload your certificate of completion that shows a date of completion anytime between February 25, 2022 and March 31, 2024. If you have completed this certification outside of this timeframe you are not eligible to receive this funding but are welcome to participate in Part 2: Theory-to-Practice sessions.
Note, you must hold an early childhood educator certificate (Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3) and be employed at a licensed and approved program to be eligible for funding.

Is the Brain Story reimbursement taxable income?

Yes, the reimbursement you receive for completing the Brain Story course ($17.50 x 20 hours) is taxable income as it is considered wages. AECEA sends the amount to your program and it should be paid through your payroll.

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