The Early Childhood Professional Resource Centre is permanently closed. 
Region of Waterloo Children’s Services is working on creating a new model for professional learning supports, based on feedback we have received from the community, with the resources available to us.

We want to ensure programs and educators are getting the support they need.
As we work through these changes, please reach out to your Early Years Analyst, Rhonda Warren (Supervisor, Partnerships, Quality and Growth) at [email protected] or Kim Sangüesa (Manager, Partnerships, Quality and Accountability) at [email protected] if you have any questions.

Communities of Practice

Taking the Lead CoP

Anyone can be a leader. This group will meet to cultivate their skills around leadership by looking at their relationships, beliefs and practices in connection to the Early Learning Sector. Together we will explore: What it means to be a leader? How we might cultivate, support, and foster ideas in ourselves and in those around us? This group is best intended for any individual (regardless of job title) that is interested in developing and fostering their leadership capacity in this transformative sector. 

Delivery Method: Hybrid
  • In-person at 100 Maple Grove Rd (Region of Waterloo Operations Centre, Cambridge)
  • Virtual on Microsoft Teams
Dates:
  • September 29, 2025
  • November 3, 2025
  • December 1, 2025
  • January 26, 2026
  • February 23, 2026
  • March 30, 2026
  • April 27, 2026
  • May 25, 2026
  • June 29, 2026
Time: 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Facilitator: Anne Coupland ([email protected])

Francophone CoP

Les professionnels qui travaillent dans le secteur de la petite enfance ont été invites à considérer des nouvelles perspectives, à travailler de manière plus collaborative et à exprimer leurs idées de manière plus intentionnelle. Les communautés de pratique (CoP) peuvent être les véhicules qui nous permettent d’atteindre cela. Joignez-vous avec d’autres professionnels francophones qui travaillent dans le cadre du programme d’apprentissage de la petite enfance pour discuter, soutenir et défier des idées afin de renforcer notre pratique par la réflexion critique. Les participants sont encouragés d’apporter des idées et à partager leurs expériences.
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Delivery Method: In-person 
Dates:
  • September 23, 2025
  • November 25, 2025
  • March 25, 2026
  • ​May 27, 2026
Time:  6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Facilitators: 

Nursery School CoP

This is a Community of Practise (CoP) for leaders and educators who work in Nursery Schools.  This CoP will provide participants with the opportunity to engage with others in professional conversation, share ideas, and consider essential topics that impact the early learning environments within Nursery School settings.  Through this platform, participants will grapple with the meaning of their work and through reflective practice become revitalized in their own practice while creating quality early learning environments with children and families. 

Delivery Method: In-person & Virtual (Alternating)
Dates:
  • November 26, 2025 (Virtual)​
  • January 28, 2026 (New Hamburg Area Co-operative Pre-School)
  • February 25, 2026 (Virtual)
  • March 25, 2026 (St. John's Nursery School)
  • April 29, 2026 (Virtual)
  • May 27, 2026 (Elmira Community Nursery School)
Time: 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Facilitator: Lianne Horne ([email protected])

Capacity Building CoP​

Capacity Building plays an important role in strengthening early childhood educators’ ability to provide high quality care and learning. Over the past year, we have focused on supporting early years professionals within the Region of Waterloo with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to thrive. It is our hope that empowering educators will deepen relationships and connections so they can achieve the best outcomes for children, families, and themselves. Through reflective practice and collaborative inquiry, together, we will re-ignite our passion for the profession, engage as co-learners so that we can question long standing practices, and explore new ideas and ways of thinking about our work in order to continuously evolve and adjust our practice.

Delivery Method: In-person at 100 Maple Grove Rd (Region of Waterloo Operations Centre, Cambridge)
Dates:
  • October 1, 2025 (Meeting Room A)
  • November 5, 2025 (Meeting Room A)
  • December 3, 2025 (99 Regina, Room 409)
  • January 7, 2026 (Classroom)
  • February 4, 2026 (Classroom)
  • March 4, 2026 (Classroom)
  • April 1, 2026 (Classroom)
  • May 6, 2026 (Classroom)
  • June 3, 2026 (Classroom)
Time:  10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Facilitators:

leadership Development Sessions:
​Creating your Equity & Inclusion Policy

We are offering a second round of the CoP for leadership staff related to the Equity & Inclusion Policy and Commitment for organizations that were not part of the pilot cohort. These sessions are being offered to increase awareness and understanding of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) to support participants in creating a meaningful, intentional, and relevant Equity & Inclusion Policy. These will be drop-in discussions.

Delivery Method: In-person at 99 Regina St S. (Waterloo)
Dates: 
  • November 7, 2025
  • December 5, 2025 - Participation
  • January 9, 2026 - Diversity
  • February 6, 2026 - Supporting All Positions
  • March 6, 2026 - Access
  • April 10, 2026 - Supports for Diverse Abilities
  • May 8, 2026 - Equity
  • ​June 12, 2026 - Reconciliation
Time:  10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Facilitators: 
  • Gail Hunter
  • Ce Cil Kim