Child Care Educator (RECE, ELF, or ECA)

YMCA Greater Toronto; Toronto; On-site; CAD 42,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A major child care provider in the community is seeking an Early Childhood Assistant at the LAMP YMCA Child Care Centre. The successful candidate will offer compassionate care to children aged 0-12 and engage with families to enhance the childcare experience. A High School Diploma is required, along with a commitment to safety and creativity in learning. This full-time contract position runs for 9 months, starting January 5, 2026, with a competitive salary of $42,900 annually.

Qualifications

• Minimum of six months’ experience working with young children.
• Valid Standard First Aid and CPR Level C certification required.
• Up-to-date immunizations required by Public Health.

Responsibilities

• Provide quality compassionate care and support to children.
• Build positive relationships with parents and families.
• Ensure children's safety and supervision at all times.
• Understand and comply with provincial and municipal policies.
• Observe and document children's learning and development.

Skills

Compassionate care

Building relationships

Creative engagement

Safety supervision

Compliance with policies

Observation and documentation

Child care cleaning practices

Food preparation

Flexibility and adaptability

Education

High School Diploma

Early Childhood Educator Diploma

Degree or Diploma in Child and Youth Work or related fields

Job description

Early Childhood Assistant

$42,900 / year

$22.00

Early Learning Facilitator

$46,800 / year

$24.00

Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE)

$54,600 / year

$28.00

Location : LAMP YMCA Child Care Centre

Work Hours : Must be available to work 8 : 15am-4 : 45pm, 9 : 00am-5 : 30pm and 9 : 30am-6 : 00pm, Monday-Friday

Employment Type : Contract Full Time Salaried (9 months)

Number of Vacancies : 1

Potential Start Date : January 5, 2026

Application Deadline : November 28, 2025 at 5 : 00pm

Be the Spark! Join our professional and passionate team of early childhood educators. The YMCA of Greater Toronto is the largest not‑for‑profit provider of licensed child care in Canada and we have been making a positive difference in our community by providing quality childcare for over 50 years!

You will plan and deliver a consistent child‑centred program in accordance with our curriculum (0-6 year olds) and the curriculum (6-12 year olds). We are committed to providing you with opportunities to develop your knowledge, skills and career while you enhance the experience of the children and families that we serve.

In this role, you will :

• Provide quality compassionate care and support to children and their families
• Build positive relationships with children and seek opportunities to deepen connections with parents and families keeping them up to date on their child’s progress
• Be a creative play partner who is actively engaged with the children and makes learning fun
• Independently ensure the safety and supervision of children at all times, while working alone and / or with other Child Care Educators.
• Understand and comply with provincial (CCEYA), municipal and YMCA policies and procedures.
• Observe and expand on children’s learning opportunities and complete required documentation of children’s development and interactions.
• Listen to and respond to children’s needs which includes diapering and assisting children with toileting
• Clean and sanitize child care spaces, toys and equipment; Prepare and serve food following YMCA health and safety protocols and procedures
• Attend required curriculum training and professional development opportunities. Maintain qualifications and certifications as required by the YMCA and provincial standards
• Perform other duties as assigned

You bring :

Registered Early Childhood Educator :

• An Early Childhood Educator Diploma
• Registered (or proof that registration is in process) and in good standing in the College of Early Childhood Educators (CECE)

Early Learning Facilitator :

• Degree or Diploma in Child and Youth Work / Child and Youth Care or Bachelors of Education or Social Service Worker or Social Work or Recreation and Leisure
• Candidates with a Bachelor of Education must be registered in good standing with the Ontario College of Teachers to be eligible for the Early Learning Facilitator rate of pay

Early Childhood Assistant :

• High School Diploma

General Qualifications :

• Minimum of six months’ experience working with young children
• Valid Standard First Aid and CPR Level C certification prior to the first day of work
• Up-to-date immunizations required by Public Health
• Ability to use frequent light to medium physical effort: lifting up to 20 kg (44 lbs.), bending and stooping; picking up a child
• Ability to work outdoors for at least 2 hours daily year-round; may be exposed to heat, humidity or cold
• Flexibility and adaptability regarding assigned working hours
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and building a sense of belonging
• Applicants are required to be a minimum of 18 years of age or older as per Ministry guidelines
• Legally entitled to work in Canada

What you need to succeed :

• Commitment to the YMCA’s
• Focus on the health, safety and wellbeing of all children, youth, and vulnerable people in YMCA programs including understanding legal and moral obligations related to reporting suspected child abuse to Child Protection Services
• YMCA Competencies : Accountable, Relationship‑Builder, Improvement‑Orientated, Team Player & Leader, Equity and Wellbeing Promoter

Why work for the YMCA?

The YMCA of Greater Toronto is a charity that ignites the potential in people, helping them grow, lead, and give back to their communities. We are committed to helping our employees reach their full potential and are recognized as a great place to work. We offer meaningful jobs and the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of individuals and the health of our communities. See what you can expect from the YMCA .

Joining the Y means contributing to over 170 years of providing opportunities for people to shine through programs and services, such as health and fitness, licensed child care, camps, employment and immigrant services, education and training, and services for youth, families, and seniors. Learn more in our 2025–2030 strategic plan, , which outlines how we are focused on building communities where people feel healthier and more connected to their neighbours.

The YMCA of Greater Toronto is committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. We strive to remove barriers to employment and recognize that diverse staff who reflect the communities we work in enrich the experiences of our participants and our team. As an equal opportunity employer, we invite applications from all qualified candidates including racialized people / people of colour, Indigenous Peoples, disabled people / people with disabilities and members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.

If we can make the recruitment process more accessible for you, please let us know when we reach out about a job opportunity so we can work with you to accommodate your needs.

In keeping with our commitment to safety and child protection, job offers are contingent on the successful completion of a Police Records Check. Within the first four months and every three years thereafter, a Vulnerable Police Records Check is required. Learn more about these checks .

The YMCA only considers applicants who are legally entitled to work in Canada. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, due to the volume of applications we receive, we can only contact candidates who are selected for an interview.