Our Mission
Mission Statement
The CAYC exists to provide a voice on critical issues related to the quality of life of all young children and families.
Who We Are
The Canadian Association for Young Children (CAYC) is a pan-Canadian registered charity. Established in 1974, CAYC is dedicated to exchanging knowledge related to issues of pedagogy, well-being, care, and education of children ages birth to nine. Since its inception, the CAYC has provided a national and international platform for dialogue about early childhood issues, practices, and research among diverse stakeholders, including early childhood educators, teachers, early years professionals, researchers, and policy makers.
Members of this multi-disciplinary association include parents, teachers, caregivers, administrators, students, and all those wishing to share ideas and participate in activities related to the education and welfare of young children.
The Aims of CAYC
The aims of CAYC are to advance critical and reflective discourse on issues related to early childhood education and care by:
- creating and distributing an academic journal regarding topics such as early childhood education and care;
- holding national, provincial, territorial and regional conferences and events where researchers, educators, and related experts share information regarding research, resources, practices, ideas, and advancements in early childhood education and care; and
- doing all such things as are incidental or ancillary to the attainment of the above purposes.
Implementing These Ideals
The National Conference
The National Conference is a highlight of The CAYC. The conference includes lectures by internationally renowned authorities on children, in addition to workshops, discussion groups, displays, demonstrations, school visits and tours.
Provincial and Regional Events
The organization of members at the provincial and territorial levels is encouraged to plan events to deal with the issues and concerns pertaining to young children. These events may take the form of lectures, seminars or a local conference.
The Journal of Childhood Studies
This outstanding multidisciplinary journal is published on an online basis and features articles and announcements by nationally and internationally renowned experts in early childhood education, as well as new learning tools, peer book reviews, etc. Current and archived journals can be found at https://journals.uvic.ca/index.php/jcs/index