Skip to content

Dynamic early years conference open to public

Women’s Contact Society’s early years conference this month, titled Child Care Champions
14014829_web1_anitaboyface
Women’s Contact Society early years conference organizer Anita Diepdael, pictured here with 3-year-old Markus Storoschuk, talks about what the upcoming conference means to anyone caring for a child. LeRae Haynes photo

LeRae Haynes

Special to the Tribune

Looking for more information on how to help children who have experienced trauma?

Women’s Contact Society’s early years conference this month, titled Child Care Champions: Building Your Toolbox, is open to early childhood educators and daycare providers, as well as parents, social workers, teachers, foster parents and anyone involved in the care of a child.

“One main focus of the conference is trauma-informed practices,” explains Anita Diepdael, Child Care Resource and Referral consultant with the Women’s Contact Society, and organizer of the conference.

“As care providers we don’t always know how the children we care for are dealing with trauma; it can be sometimes something like a significant person in their life passing away, violence they’ve witnessed, our wildfire season last summer or being bullied at school,” she said. “It could even be stress resulting from starting daycare or Kindergarten and being away from their parents.”

She added that they’re very excited about the great presenters coming to the conference, including Dr. Linda O’Neill from the University of Northern British Columbia, UNBC in Prince George.

“Dr. O’Neil opens the conference Friday evening with a free, two-hour presentation and will also give a keynote address on Saturday morning,” Diepdael said.

“Participants are in for a real treat when they hear her speak – she’s funny, intriguing, down to earth and she really connects with people.”

The conference takes place on Friday Oct.19 and Saturday, Oct. 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Cariboo Bethel Church.

On Saturday afternoon Hana Kamea will speak and present her film, The Moving Child.

Also presenting at the conference will be Samantha Jo Dyck from Punky Lake Wilderness Society, talking about traditional healing circles.

Diepdael, who has a degree as an early childhood educator specializing in infants and toddlers, said she has attended the local conferences for about eight years.

“I find them very helpful, inspiring and innovative and the networking is amazing,” she explained.

“This early years conference is an enormous benefit to local daycare providers and Early Childhood Educators – providing affordable, local, quality professional development hours they need to maintain their licenses.”

This is the first year the conference will be held at the Cariboo Bethel Church conference room.

“We wanted to try a new location, and the church wanted to open their doors to more community events. It’s a beautiful place, and they’ve been fantastic to deal with,” she added.

Mint and Lime Catering will provide morning and afternoon snacks and lunch.

She said what she really wants people to take away from the conference is practical knowledge and strategies that they can take straight to the classroom, to the home, to the children in their care.

“We want them to know that the work they do with children really matters.

“As care providers, you can get caught up in the day-to-day hard work, and sometimes that work is overlooked or forgotten. But the care and attention you give to children and families is incredible,” she said.

“These early years conferences are here to enhance the care provided for children and families in the community. It takes a village to raise a child, and these conferences help strengthen the village.”

For more information about the conference, including registration, phone 250-392-4118 or e-mail a.diepdael@womenscontact.org.



news@wltribune.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter