After completing the Brain Story Certification, ECEs can register to participate in sessions facilitated by the Alberta Resource Centre for Quality Enhancement designed specifically for ECEs to connect the theory and ideas presented in the Brain Story to their daily practice, interactions, and relationships with children and families.Â
After completing both the Brain Story Certification and a Theory-to-Practice series, eligible ECEs will be reimbursed for 30 hours* of learning time. For the 30 hours of time spent completing the Brain Story Certification and Theory-to-Practice, ECEs can expect to receive $17.50/hour ($525.00) in reimbursement through their employer/agency. Programs can expect $1.33/hour ($39.90) to offset wage-related expenses for the ECE. Completion of both Brain Story Certification and Theory-to-Practice is required to receive funding. Funding is no longer available for only completing the Brain Story Certification.Â
*If an ECE has already received reimbursement funding in 2022-2024 for completing the Brain Story Certification or if they completed the Brain Story certificate before February 25, 2022, they will only receive funding for the Theory-to-Practice portion (10 hours).
NOTE: This reimbursement is NOT LINKED to the Release Time Grant offered by the Alberta Child Care Grant Funding Program. The 30 hours DO NOT count towards the hours of the Release Time Funding grant, and reimbursement will come from AECEA, not from the Alberta Child Care Grant Funding Program.
ECEs will be able to:
- appreciate the role they have in children’s brain development and the importance of brain development in the early years,
- integrate their new learning into daily practice with increased knowledge, skill, and confidence in their ability to articulate and put into practice the key concepts of brain science as it relates to their daily interactions with young children, and
- recognize alignments between concepts from the Brain Story and concepts of Flight: Alberta’s Early Learning and Care Framework and inclusive child care practices.
These sessions will be delivered in person and online and will take a variety of formats to meet the needs of ECEs across the province.Â
Students and other individuals not currently working at licensed child care programs are welcome to join but will not have access to this reimbursement.
In order to show in the form below, 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. AECEA is unable to provide funding directly to ECEs, funds MUST go through the agency or employer.
This reimbursement is available to both AECEA members and non-members.Â
The Theory-to-Practice Series for ECEs is now available featuring five sessions:Â