Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre
Inspiring & Promoting Excellence in Child Care & Early Learning
Workshops & Training
Professional Development for Certified Early Childhood Educators
Westcoast courses and workshops support the implementation of the BC Early Learning Framework, Schedule G of the BC Child Care Licensing Regulation and the Early Childhood Educators of BC Code of Ethics.
Registration for courses and workshops will be available here. For Child Care First Aid courses, register through The Vital Link.
Westcoast is a member of The Hub for BC Early Years Professionals. 
Check out training with our Partners at ECEBC
Featured Workshop
This week we're featuring the Supporting Social-Emotional Learning Through The ‘Memory Tree’ Felt Board Story workshop facilitated by Vesna Krcmar, an experienced facilitator and Early Childhood Educator who has spent years championing curiosity, creativity, and joyful learning. She’s also known for her beloved felt stories—handmade, imaginative, and shared in workshops for more than two decades—adding a touch of magic to early learning wherever she goes.
This 3-hour workshop explores how a felt story version of ‘The Memory Tree’ by Britta Teckentrup can support young children's social-emotional development and understanding of loss, change, friendship, remembrance, and belonging. Through interactive storytelling, discussion, and hands-on activities, participants will learn developmentally appropriate ways to explore sensitive topics and create supportive environments where children can express emotions and make sense of life changes.
Important Links:
Before registering view the links below to find important information on workshop policies, FAQs and workshop basics.
Upcoming Workshops
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In-Person – Supporting Social-Emotional Learning Through The ‘Memory Tree’ Felt Board Story (4810-8100)
Vesna Krcmar
In-Person Saturday, October 24, 2026 from 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Location: Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre
Written for children ages 3-7, ‘The Memory Tree’ is a beautifully illustrated story that gently explores themes of grief, love, friendship, remembrance, resilience, and connection. Participants will engage with the story through felt storytelling and discover how visual, interactive storytelling can deepen children's engagement, support emotional understanding, and encourage meaningful conversations about relationships, memories, and change.
View Workshop DetailsExploring Three Common ‘Alarm-Based’ Troubles (4810-8100)
Michele Maurer
Online Tuesday, October 27, 2026, from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: Online
*Although participants are not required to register for all four sessions, the series is designed for and most beneficial when taken as a whole.
During this event we will explore the three main alarm spectrum patterns—anxiety-based, agitation-based, and adrenaline-based—showing how they differ depending on how much alarm is felt versus defended against. It highlights the “flight” in each pattern (from perceived threats, from feeling, or from vulnerability) and why quick-fix relief strategies don’t resolve root alarm.
Administration and Management for Child Care: Self-Guided Course (4825-8011)
N/A
Access to the course material will be given to registrants on the business day after the 1st and 15th of each month.
Location: Online
This self-guided Administration & Management for Child Care course provides an overview of various aspects of leadership, management, and administration in child care. It’s ideal for experienced leaders who are looking to improve or expand on their program’s operations, as well as educators looking to become child care leaders in BC.
View Workshop DetailsColouring Outside The Lines (4810-8100)
Nancy Tovell
Online Wednesday, November 4, 2026, from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: Online
This literacy-focused workshop explores the idea that creativity serves as a powerful bridge to learning and plays a vital role in young children's overall development. Educators will explore how child-led creative experiences foster language development, communication skills, and a lifelong love of learning.
Administration and Management for Child Care: Instructor-Guided Course (4826-8011)
Karen LeSage
Online 5 Saturdays – November 7, 14, 21; December 5 & 12, 2026 from 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Location: Online
This instructor-guided Administration & Management for Child Care (AMCC) course provides a comprehensive overview of all aspects of leadership development. It’s ideal for leaders who are looking to improve or expand their program’s operations, as well as ECE students and educators looking to become child care leaders in BC.
Thanks to valuable funding Westcoast is able to offer this 40-hour course for only $100!
View Workshop DetailsAdministration & Management for Child Care Course
The online Administration & Management for Child Care (AMCC) course provides a comprehensive overview of all aspects of leadership development.
Our 40-hour Instructor-Guided online course is delivered and guided by expert instructors with years of experience in child care and has been specially designed to support and strengthen innovative practices in leadership.
We also offer a 12-hour Self-Guided version with unlimited spaces available. You can study any time and at your own pace. Learn more about both courses and how to register on our AMCC page.
To support the course, we have also created the AMCC Knowledge Base, a comprehensive online information database for ECE leaders with detailed guidance on all areas of child care leadership.
Questions about the courses? Email us at AMCC@westcoastfamily.org.
Customized Professional Development Services
Workshops & Training Created Specifically For Your Organisation
In addition to our regular workshops and courses, Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre offers professional development training and workshops customized to your particular requirements on a wide range of topics for:
- Parents
- Early Learning and Child Care Professionals
- Others working with young children and their families
Fill out the Customized Pro-D Inquiry Form and we will get back to you about whether we can meet your specific requirements at this time and give you a quote. After, you can decide if you like to move forward with planning your training event.
Fees for online customized professional development are inclusive of facilitator fee, hosting, registration, certificates, technical support, secure Zoom access for online training, and additional learning resources, if applicable.
Are you a facilitator offering training in Early Learning and Child Care?
We welcome proposals to deliver professional development training on a wide range of topics related to early childhood education and care, for people working with children from 0-12 years of age, including:
- Early Learning and Child Care Professionals
- School Age Child Care Workers
- Others working with young children and their families
To submit your proposal, fill out the facilitator workshop proposal form below, or contact Natasa Guzina at natasa.guzina@westcoastfamily.org if you have any questions.
In a Typical Year WCCRC
provides 1450 ECD Educators
professional development through exemplery & creative workshops
offers 24 workshops
on Choosing Child Care for new parents in the community
carries nearly 12000 items
in the Westcoast Library to lend to those caring for young children