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complaints against members, dealing with issues of discipline and professional
misconduct, and creating a forum for setting professional and ethical standards (Ontario
Ministry of Child and Youth Services, 2005).
At this point in time, the certification process within the proposed College of ECE
for Ontario is unclear. However, with membership limited to those with training, a
certification system based on education is possible. Ogston (1999) views this system as
attractive in its simplicity but suggests that “some measure of competencies would seem
necessary if certification is to signify practitioner competence to the public” (p. 58).
The role of the community college.
Accreditation of training programs such as those found in community colleges
across Canada provides a demonstration to an authorized, external agency of professional
peers that “its program of study, and the learning environment which is provided, is able
to produce graduates who have the competencies required to provide quality services in a
particular occupation” (Doherty, 2003a, p. 8). Accreditation recognizes programs that are
consistent and will most likely produce practitioners who meet the occupational standards
(Ogston, 1999).
Across Canada, there are about 135 post-secondary institutions offering training
in early childhood education and care (Ogston, 2003). The CCCF has developed training
guidelines for post-secondary institutions in an effort to promote consistency. Guidelines
are distinct from standards. Standards are legislated minimum criteria requiring
compliance. “Guidelines are general statements that are neither quantitative nor binding,
but rather suggest direction for action” (CCCF, 1995, p. 2). The guidelines reflect shared
beliefs developed after an extensive process to provide a vision for training institutions to