Apply for early childhood educator certification

To apply for certification as an early childhood educator in Yukon you must:

1. Download and complete an application form.
2. Have an official transcript of your completed coursework issued by your post-secondary institution.
3. Submit your application form and transcript to us. We'll assess your application and may also ask you to submit your course syllabus to help us with our assessment.
   In person:
   Early Learning and Child Care Unit
   Department of Education building
   1000 Lewes Blvd.
   Whitehorse, YT
   
   Mail:
   Government of Yukon
   Early Learning and Child Care Unit (E-23)
   Box 2703
   Whitehorse, YT  Y1A 2C6

You need to intend to work in Yukon

For us to consider your application, you must be intending to work in licensed child care programs in Yukon.

Your assessment results

We'll send you a letter with our assessment result in the mail within 20 working days of the date you submitted your application.

If you are not in Yukon

If you're working in another province or territory, you must apply for a certificate in the jurisdiction where you live and work.

We will not process applications from people from other territories or provinces who do not intend to work in licensed child care programs in Yukon.

If you're planning to move to Yukon

If you are not currently living in Yukon but plan to relocate here to work in a licensed child care program, include your potential place of employment on your application. We'll confirm this information before we assess your application.

If you're outside Canada

We will not process applications from people outside Canada who do not intend to work in licensed child care programs in Yukon.

There are 5 levels of certification. Here's what you require for each of them.

Level 1

60 hours of coursework, or the equivalent, in early childhood development.

Level 1A

• A minimum of 45 hours in the health and social science stream.
• A minimum of 60 hours in the child development stream.
• A minimum of 45 hours in the professional practice in early learning and child care stream.
• A minimum of 45 hours in the methods stream.
• A minimum of 135 hours in the field placement stream (1 field placement, 1 seminar).

Level 2

• A minimum of 45 hours in the health and social science stream.
• A minimum of 90 hours in the child development stream.
• A minimum of 45 hours in the professional practice in early learning and child care stream.
• A minimum of 90 hours in the methods stream.
• A minimum of 45 hours in the communication stream.
• A minimum of 390 hours in the field placement stream (1 field placement, 1 seminar).

Level 2A

• A minimum of 90 hours in the health stream.
• A minimum of 135 hours in the child development stream.
• A minimum of 90 hours in the professional practice in early learning and child care stream.
• A minimum of 135 hours in the methods stream.
• A minimum of 45 hours in the communication stream.
• A minimum of 645 hours in the field placement stream (1 field placement, 1 seminar).

Level 3

To receive a child care worker level 3, you must have a completed:

• a 2-year early learning and child care diploma;
• a 2-year early childhood development diploma; or
• a completion of 2 years or more of equivalent post-secondary education satisfying the below requirements.

You must also have the following.

• A minimum of 90 hours in the health and social science stream.
• A minimum of 180 hours in the child development stream.
• A minimum of 180 hours in the professional practice in early learning and child care stream.
• A minimum of 180 hours in the methods stream.
• A minimum of 45 hours in the communication stream.
• A minimum of 900 hours in the field placement stream (1 field placement, 1 seminar).

Coursework we'll consider

Coursework we may consider as equivalent for these levels must:

• be credit coursework from a recognized post-secondary educational institute; and
• correspond with coursework outlined on page 4 of the childcare professional level designation guidelines (schedule A).

Yukon University coursework

We accept early learning and child care coursework from Yukon University.

Talk to us about your training plans

If you're interested in pursuing training from other educational programs, contact us to find out whether or not we'll recognize the educational program for child care worker level certification.

Continuous learning

We recommend that certified early childhood educators continue to enrol in workshops, courses and conferences as part of their professional development.

We'll consider the following areas of education for level certification.

Early childhood certificate and diplomas

• A completed certificate in early childhood education or early childhood development may be equivalent to a child care worker level 2.
• A completed diploma in early childhood education or early childhood development may be equivalent to a child care worker level 3.
• If have a diploma in early childhood education or early childhood development and we grant you a child care worker level 3, you will not need to do any additional course work to maintain this level certification.

Montessori

• An Association Montessori International Diploma or Toronto Montessori Institute Diploma may be equivalent to a child care worker level 2.

Related diploma and degree programs

• A Bachelor of Education Degree may be considered for a Level 3 Equivalency Certification.
• Other related degrees or diplomas may be considered for Level 3 Equivalency at the discretion of the Director of Early Learning and Child Care.
• Applicants must have also successfully completed a 60-hour early childhood development course.
• If an applicant holding a Bachelor of Education or other related degree is granted a Level 3 Equivalent Certification, the certification will be valid for one year.

How to maintain your certification

• During the 1-year period that your certification is valid you must complete a minimum 30-hour post-secondary accredited early childhood development course to maintain your level 3 certification.
• You must:
  • re-apply for your certification before it expires; and
  • provide proof that you've successfully completed your early childhood development coursework.
• If you meet the requirements, we'll give you certification for 1 additional year.
• If you do not meet the requirements prior to the expiration date on your level 3 certificate, your level 3 certification is no longer valid.

We are not able to evaluate degree or diploma programs in countries other than Canada.

We may be able to consider programs that an accredited post-secondary institution accepts as equivalent to our certification requirements.

Get your coursework assessed

You can submit your coursework to a recognized Canadian credentialling agency to assess what it's equivalent to within Canada. We may then be able to assess the credentialling report you receive.

Find out about getting your qualifications assessed if you're a foreign worker.