For Families

  • Consultation
  • Child Care Facility Referrals
  • Information on Selecting Quality Child Care
  • Free Toy/Resource/Equipment Lending Library
  • Access to Workshops and Training Sessions
  • Affordable Child Care Benefit Program Information/Support
  • Access to Non-Toxic Craft Supplies
  • EKCCRR Monthly Bulletin
  • Low-Cost Laminating Service Available Every Tuesday

For the Child Care Workforce

  • Support, Resources, and Consultation
  • Professional Development, Networking and Training Sessions
  • Support Visits
  • Referrals
  • Affordable Child Care Benefit Program Information/Support
  • EKCCRR Monthly Bulletin
  • Free Toy/Resource/Equipment Lending Library
  • Access to Non-Toxic Craft Supplies
  • Low-Cost Laminating Service Available Every Tuesday

For Community Partners

  • Consultation
  • Professional Development, Networking and Training Sessions
  • Referrals
  • Affordable Child Care Benefit Program Information/Support
  • EKCCRR Monthly Bulletin
  • Free Toy/Resource/Equipment Lending Library
  • Access to Non-Toxic Craft Supplies
  • Low-Cost Laminating Service Available Every Tuesday

Crafty Creations craft store is located at EKCCRR.

Phone: 250.426.5677

All items are child friendly and non-toxic.

Click on the image above for product list and prices.

Product availability and prices subject to change without notice.

Click on the above logo to access the Free Toy Lending Library resources

Mission Statement

The Child Care Resource and Referral Program of British Columbia is committed to working in partnership with community and government to enhance the availability and accessibility of a range of flexible, responsive, and inclusive quality child care options and services that support the needs of children, community, and child care workforce.

Vision Statement

Child Care Resource and Referral Program Vision:

 

  • Children are our future.
  • Quality child care supports the healthy development of children.
  • Quality, accessible, and affordable child care supports families in their abilities to take advantage of training and work opportunities.
  • Advancing professionalism and support the value of the early years.
  • Supporting healthy families and communities.
Core Values

Partnerships

  • Child Care Resource and Referral programs value teamwork and collaboration. Partnerships that are adaptive, flexible, and empathetic are formed among government, community, child care providers and families to ensure high quality services.

Professionalism

  • Child Care Resource and Referral programs value professionalism and integrity in all work. It is important to use critical thinking when setting goals and to be accountable in following through with priorities. It is also important to take reasonable risks and evaluate progress in all work, with a focus on ethical practice.

Respecting Diversity

  • Child Care Resource and Referral programs value sensitivity and diversity within the communities of British Columbia. It is important that all children, regardless of background and lifestyle, are able to access inclusive, high quality child care. Also, ensuring that all families have access to support services.

Lifelong Learning

  • Child Care Resource and Referral programs value the importance of a continuum of education, training, and experiences for learning by staff, child care providers and families in order to meet children’s needs.

Well-Being for All

  • Child Care Resource and Referral programs value the health, safety, and well-being of children, families, care providers and staff within the community.

Information

  • CCRRs recruit and register License-Not-Required child care providers and provide consultation to the child care community. CCRRs provide information, support and training to child care providers and offer services such as: business information, workshops, networking opportunities, supportive home visits, access to lending libraries and equipment, referrals to community resources, listing in a registry of child care providers. CCRRs provide families with child care referrals, quality child care resources, Affordable Child Care Benefit assistance, consultation, support, lending libraries and in some communities, drop-in programs.

Government

  • CCRRs work under contract to the Ministry of Education and Child Care. They also work with other provincial ministries, and with departments, boards and committees at the national, regional, and municipal levels as needed to promote various aspects of quality child care.

Affordable Child Care Benefit

Affordable Child Care Benefit Plan

1.888.338.6622

Extended Hours 8:30 am to 7:00 pm (PDT)

You may be eligible for the Affordable Child Care Benefit Plan (ACCB) for child care costs.  How much you receive depends on:

  • Your net family income
  • The number of children requiring child care, their ages and the amount of child care each child requires.
  • The type of care you choose.

Metis Child Care Benefit Program

metisearlyyears@mnbc.ca

1.800.940.1150   

The Metis Child Care Benefit (MCCB) is a monthly benefit to help Metis families with the cost of child care.  The Metis Child Care Benefit supplement child care costs up to a maximum of $500.00 per child, per month.  Funding is paid directly to the child care provider.

Before you apply, you will need:

  • To be an MNBC Citizen and provide your citizenship number or have an active application with the registry. 
  • Your child/children to be enrolled in the Metis Family Connections Program.
  • To have applied to the Affordable Child Care Benefit program prior to application.
  • To have completed the Child Care Provider form completed by the Parent/Legal Guardian and Child Care Provider.  (This form will be provided during the application process)

Our Team

Rita: Program Coordinator

I have worked for EKCCRR since 1995.  As a Program Coordinator I am responsible for the general operations of our regional program, which includes on-going communication with our Provincial and Regional Managers, along with other CCRR programs throughout the province.  I attend various community meetings to represent the child care professionals and families in our region.  Through the connections I have made I feel that the public has become more aware of the importance of quality early learning and child care.  I also assist in organizing various conferences, workshops and training sessions in our region with my colleagues.

Education
License to Practice as an Early Childhood Educator, with a Diploma in Special Needs and Infant/Toddler Education.

Previous Work Experience
Since 1985 I have had the pleasure of working in a variety of child care settings; including Nanny Care, Group Infant/Toddler Child Care, Group 3–5-year-old Child Care, Licensed Family Child Care and Preschools.  All my child care experiences assist me in supporting child care facilities, families, and community partners through EKCCRR.

 

Frankie

Frankie

Consultant

I have worked for EKCCRR since 2012.  As a Consultant one of my main responsibilities is to help Registered License Not Required Child Care providers become established and support them as needed. I also assist families in finding child care, sit on the Early years teams in the East Kootenay’s, help coordinate and organizes workshops for Child Care Providers and families, provide outreach monthly (weather permitting) to Child Care programs in Cranbrook, Kimberley, Elk Valley, Columbia Valley, and Creston as well as a variety of other duties.

Education
License to Practice as an Early Childhood Educator, with a Diploma in Special Needs as well as a Teacher’s Assistant Certificate.

Previous Work Experiences
I have been an employee of Community Connections Society since 2004.  Prior to my position with EKCCRR I worked as a Support Worker with Supported Child Development.  This position allowed me to assist and support in a variety of Child Care settings which helped prepare me for my current position.

Colleen

Colleen

Consultant

I have worked for EKCCRR since 2019. As a consultant, my main role is to provide support to Early Childhood Educators, Families, and Community Partners throughout the East Kootenays. Some examples of this would be doing outreach visits to child care programs, giving out child care referrals, organizing workshops and conferences, recruiting RLNR providers, providing general information about quality child care and child development, Affordable Child Care Benefit program support, and being a part of the Early Years teams across the East Kootenays.

Education
License to Practice as an Early Childhood Educator, Infant/Toddler Educator, and Special Needs Educator, as well as certification in Office Administration.

Previous Work Experience
I have worked within the child care sector since 2006, in a variety of settings such as an Aboriginal Preschool for ages 18 months – 5 years, Group Infant/Toddler Care, Group 3-5 Care, Afterschool Care, and running a Licensed and Accredited Family Day Home. Prior to working within the child care sector, I was employed as an office administrator.

 

Shirley

Shirley

Consultant

I joined the Child Care Resource and Referral team July 2022.  My consultant role is to enhance the availability of inclusive quality care within the East Kootenays. To support families in accessing quality care, provide child care professionals with the resources and training opportunities needed to enhance their learning and their programs.  I oversee the daily operations of the Toy Lending Library and educational resources as well as keeping “Crafty Creations” well stocked with nontoxic craft supplies.

Education                                                                                                                                                                       Early Childhood Certificate                                                                                                                                 Training and experience supporting children with exceptional need

Previous Work Experience                                                                                                                                                I have worked as an Early Childhood Educator for the past 36 years. I Started my career in Cranbrook, working in a Child Development Centre for 9 years.  Here I gained a wealth of experience, education and training to support children with exceptional needs.   For the past 24 years I managed an inclusive preschool program in Cranbrook that not only allowed me to mentor Early Childhood Education students, support workers and volunteers, but also provided me the opportunity to provide quality inclusive child care. It’s a job I loved doing.  The skills I gained as an Educator gave me the opportunity to step into a Behavioral Interventionist role as well, which was a part-time position I held for 8 years.

 

Rachel

Rachel

Consultant

I started working at the EKCCRR in August of 2022. In my role as a consultant, I contribute to the maintenance of the toy lending library and helping community partners and families to have access to that. I provide support to child care providers, families and community partners as needed.

Education                                                                                                                                                                       Early Childhood Educator Certificate / Current license to practice as an Early Childhood Educator   Certification in Business Office Skills

Previous Work Experience                                                                                                                                                I am relatively new to the field of Early Childhood Education. I took my ECE at the College of the Rockies here in Cranbrook in the 2017-18 school year. I’ve been working as an Early Childhood Educator from the fall of 2018 to May of 2022. I have also worked as a support worker for East Kootenay Supported Child Development (now named East Kootenay Inclusive Child Care Support) from May of 2019 to the present

 

East Kootenay CCRR
20-B 12th Ave N., Cranbrook, BC, V1C 3V7
Ph: 250-426-5677 or 1-800-661-2445 Cell: 250-421-1926
Fax: 250-426-3373 E-mail: ekccrr@ccssebc.com

Regional Office Hours: Monday to Friday 8:00 am – 4:30 pm

(office may be closed for outreach visits & meetings, call in advance to avoid disappointment)

Funded by: BC Ministry of Education and Child Care

Sponsored by: Community Connections Society of Southeast BC www.ccscranbrook.ca