For educators & the sector
Doors Open for Learning
Doors Open Childcare isn't only for families — it's built around a professional development (pro-D) day for the people who do this work every day: early childhood educators.
Bringing the two together is deliberate: families get to see programs in action, and educators get dedicated time to learn from each other, refresh their practice, and connect across a sector that often works in isolation, one centre at a time.
Community-based professional development
In early childhood education, ongoing professional development is part of the job. In BC, certified educators are required to complete professional development hours to renew their certification, and staying current — on child development, inclusion, guiding behaviour, health and safety, and Indigenous perspectives on early learning — is what keeps quality high. Doors Open Childcare sets aside a day for exactly that, in a format that's practical and local.
What the day includes
- Open program visits, so educators can see how peers set up their environments and routines. Visit as many or as few programs as you like.
- Networking across Richmond programs — a rare chance to meet the people doing the same work down the road.
Who it's for
- Family child care providers, school-age educators, licence-not-required educators, ECE assistants, ECEs, and Infant/Toddler and Special Needs educators
- Students in early childhood education training programs
- Anyone in the Richmond early learning community who wants to take part
Details
When: Both event days — Thursday, October 1, 2026, 5:00–8:00 pm, and Saturday, October 3, 2026, 9:00 am–1:00 pm. (Check individual facilities to confirm the hours they'll be open — some can't be open for the entire event.)
Where: Across all participating Doors Open Childcare programs — educators travel between the open centres. Locations are listed on the Locations page and will keep updating as programs join.
Cost: Free
Registration: Not required — drop in anytime during the hours above.
A note on photos
Please ask the manager at each site whether they're photograph-friendly before taking any photos.
How the passport works
- Download your Doors Open passport and print it before the event.
- At each location, have the manager sign your passport. Each visit counts as 30 minutes of professional development — if you stay longer, the manager can note the extra time.
- Once it's complete, email a photo of the signed passport to nbyres@richmondchildcare.org no later than October 21, 2026.
- A professional-development certificate will be emailed to you. Please allow until October 31 to receive it.