The province is giving $575,000 to Thompson Rivers University for work to address shortfalls for early childhood educators.

Minister of Children and Family Development Katrine Conroy was in Kamloops for the announcement, and she says that money is part of $6.3 million dollars being spent this year for ECE’.

“It’s part of our partnership with the federal government that the Westcoast Resource Centre has to invest in other centres across the province, and TRU and professor (Laura) Doan is one of the ones who are getting this research, to look at the recruitment and retention issues,” Conroy says.

With the grant money, TRU will be creating a peer mentoring network for ECEs and will expand supports available to them. Prof. Doan says that work will benefit 19 childcare facilities around B.C., which the school says will support more 228 ECEs.

“It’s such a vital profession. It’s so needed, it’s a great opportunity to work with yougn children and families. And you’re providing the base and the starting group for those kids and those families,” Conroy says. “It’s such a critical time of life for those kids and those families, and it’s so important.”