Lambton College EarlyON

Lambton College EarlyON is based in Lambton County and operating within the boundaries of the city of Sarnia, which has a population of just under 80,000. The Lambton College EarlyON team operates two EarlyON sites – one on Lambton College campus, and one at Coronation Park. In addition, the team offers a weekly outreach program at the Sarnia Library, a weekly outreach program at St. Michael School in Bright’s Grove, and a summer outdoor park program.  

Lambton College is their employer, and the EarlyON team collaborates heavily with the College – working with its relevant academic programs, offering its students access to the EarlyON services, and utilizing what the College offers for staff training and development. The integration with the college is exemplified by the Manager of the EarlyON Child and Family Centre, Diane McCahill RECE, Bed., who graduated from the ECE Program at Lambton College in 1986 and has been employed with the College ever since.

The evolution of the EarlyON on campus reflects its staff dedication to excellence and responding to the evolving needs of students and the local area. In 2003, Lambton College was chosen to operate an Ontario Early Years Centre (OEYC) in Sarnia-Lambton. At the time it included basic services and a drop-in room, but its relevance to students and families in the county only grew from there. In 2019, following the Ministry of Education transforming family programs to EarlyON Child and Family Centres, the Lambton College EarlyON moved to a larger, newly renovated space with two adjacent outdoor play spaces to accommodate the volume of visitors.

The EarlyON programs at both locations provide a welcoming environment where relationships are valued, and many caregivers create meaningful connections with each other. The EarlyONs offer registered programs like Infant Massage and Make the Connection, as well as specialty drop-in programs like Active Babies, Fun with Baby, Active Play, Active Toddlers. Additionally, in 2009 Lambton College OEYC was the successful applicant to operate the Parent and Professional Resource Centre (PPRC) in Lambton County. The PPRC provides a resource room for parents and educators to create learning materials for children and youth and plans professional learning opportunities and events to support the early years sector. 

In line with the values in Lambton College’s Strategic Plan, Lambton College EarlyON values excellence. The EarlyON ensures their educators provide high-quality, responsive programs that align with best practices as taught at the College. They continually challenge themselves to consider new possibilities as they collaborate with the Lambton College ECE program and the County of Lambton. Lambton College EarlyON uses a reflective practice approach to thoughtfully plan experiences that engage children and families. For example, based on staff observations and feedback from families, they transitioned many pre-registered programs to specialized drop-in programs to make them more accessible. They are committed to high quality program delivery that highlights the strengths of their team. This is evident in all they offer and how they have grown and expanded over the years. 

The EarlyON educators also deeply value being caring and resilient, celebrating the small joys with families and holding space for people in the hard and heavy moments of family life. Additionally, as an early intervention hub, educators work with caregivers to identify developmental needs early, connecting families to resources before challenges escalate. One of the EarlyON educators is a Self-Reg™ facilitator, so Self-Reg™ concepts are integrated into the educators’ conversations and interactions with families.  

The EarlyON consistently collaborates and partners across their community to build strong supportive relationships with families, students, and rural community members. For example, the EarlyON works closely with the Lambton County Library team, with local Indigenous programs, with Pathways Health Centre for Children for local Special Needs Resourcing, and with the Homelessness Prevention Team, while the PPRC engages with subject matter experts to speak at Professional Learning Events. These partnerships enhance the collective capacity of the EarlyON to respond to community needs while fostering a sense of shared responsibility and care.

The EarlyON’s main challenge is finding alternative ways to best connect with at-risk or under-resourced families to ensure they know about EarlyON programs and get beyond the uncertainty of the first visit. As they continue to expand their social media presence and engage with new partners, they hope that more families will have access to information about EarlyON locations and services.

Many who visit the EarlyONs find incredible support from the staff, reflected in the stories their families tell: 

“My whole experience was (is) unbelievable. I am the father of a 19-month-old and a 5-year-old. I have been attending the EarlyON since my 5-year-old was born. All the childhood educators were so kind with my family at all times.”

“The PPRC has been a huge part of my academic success. There are a wide range of materials and tools available that there will always be something helpful to be

found.”

“As a stay-at-home mom, EarlyON has been a great space for my kids and I to socialize with other kids and parents. The ECE’s feel more like friends as they watch my kids grow over all the visits each year.”

Stories like these will only help them to overcome their challenge and convince other families in the area who need support to experience the benefits of EarlyON.