Course overview.
Health, Safety, and Nutrition (ECEA 101) is a foundational course for anyone preparing to work with young children in childcare and early learning environments. You will learn how to recognize illness, prevent infection, manage indoor and outdoor safety hazards, respond to emergencies, apply core nutrition and food safety principles, and understand your responsibilities around child protection and documentation, all grounded in realistic, assistant-level childcare scenarios.
ECEA 101
Certificate of Completion
32 hours
8 weeks
Introductory / Foundational
Online / Asynchronous
What this course covers.
The core health, safety and nutrition knowledge required in an early learning setting.
What you will be able to do.
Upon successful completion, students will be able to:
- Apply standard hygiene, infection control, illness recognition, and exclusion procedures in childcare settings
- Assess indoor and outdoor childcare environments for common safety hazards and recommend preventive or corrective actions
- Describe appropriate emergency, injury-response, allergy-response, and child-protection reporting actions within an ECEA scope of practice
- Apply foundational child nutrition, feeding, food safety, and allergen-management principles
- Complete basic childcare health and safety documentation and communicate professionally with families, supervisors, and team members
How to qualify.
Domestic Applicants
- Minimum 19 years of age or high school completion
- Government-issued photo identification
- High school completion or equivalent (applicants without a high school diploma may be considered under a mature student pathway)
International Applicants
- Minimum 19 years of age or high school completion
- Valid passport and appropriate study authorization, if required
- Academic documents translated and/or assessed if not in English
- Proof of English proficiency (for example IELTS, TOEFL, or internal assessment)
This program does not include a practicum or placement. Criminal record checks, immunizations, or additional requirements may be requested by employers or regulatory bodies after program completion, if applicable.
Roles this course supports.
This course builds foundational skills relevant to roles such as:
- Childcare or daycare assistant
- Early learning centre support staff
- Preschool assistant
- Community childcare program support
It can also serve as one of the qualifying courses toward BC ECE Assistant certification, or as a starting point toward further early childhood education training.
Tuition & Fees
Tuition and fee details vary by intake and are provided directly to students during the admissions process. For current information, please contact our admissions team.
Delivery
Delivered fully online and asynchronously, so you can complete the 32 instructional hours around work and family commitments over the 8-week course.
Certification
Upon successful completion of the program, students will receive an ECEA Certificate / Certificate of Completion from Ashford Career College.
Requirements for working as an Early Childhood Educator Assistant in British Columbia include certification through the BC ECE Registry. Completion of this course alone does not guarantee eligibility for ECEA certification or employment in a regulated childcare setting. Applicants should confirm current requirements and apply directly with the ECE Registry.