Explore Upcoming Events

Food and feeding is an integral part of early learning and child care programs. In addition to regulations for the kinds of foods that are provided, many jurisdictions are including recommendations for responsive feeding environments that encourage children to development positive relationships with food, practice self-regulation through responding to hunger and fullness, and build comfort with a variety of foods and textures.

CELEBRATE Feeding (Coaching in Early Learning Environments to Build a Responsive Approach to Eating and Feeding) is an ongoing research initiative in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island that partners with early learning and child care settings in creating healthy eating environments that promote responsive feeding practices.

This session will introduce the principles of responsive feeding through the CELEBRATE Feeding Approach, including mealtime and feeding routines, supportive language, role modeling, cultural inclusion, and creative opportunities for children to learn about and explore food at their own pace. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about the resources available and future opportunities to become involved to reshape the food and feeding environment in early learning and child care.

Ontario’s early childhood education and care workforce continues to face significant pressures related to recruitment, retention, and system capacity, leaving municipalities and service system managers searching for practical, evidence-informed solutions. This session introduces the ECE Workforce Knowledge Hub, developed by the Atkinson Centre for Society and Child Development, as a collaborative resource designed to strengthen workforce planning, policy development, and knowledge sharing across jurisdictions. The presentation will combine a guided exploration of the Hub with discussion on how researchers, municipalities, and policy makers can work together to adapt evidence and promising practices to local workforce challenges.

SAVE THE DATE! The Summer Institute is an annual collaboration between the School of Early Childhood at George Brown Polytechnic and the Atkinson Centre for Society and Child Development at the University of Toronto. Each year, the Institute brings together educators, system leaders, researchers, policymakers, and advocates to explore pressing issues in the early years.

Additional event and registration details will be shared soon.