We have an important update for all Early Childhood Investigations webinar attendees. Starting in April 2026, we are moving our certificate delivery system from SimpleCert to our brand new ECI Certificate Portal — built specifically for you.
This post covers everything you need to do and know. Bookmark it for reference!
Why Are We Making This Change?
The ECI Certificate Portal is a purpose-built home for your professional development records. It means all of your ECI certificates will be in one place, linked directly to your ECI account, and accessible anytime. The portal is simpler, faster, and purpose-built for our community.
Key Dates to Know
April 2026: ECI Certificate Portal launches. New certificates delivered and saved here.
June 1, 2026: Last day to download certificates from SimpleCert.
June 2026: SimpleCert access ends.
Step 1: Save Your Certificates from SimpleCert (Before June 2026)
This step is important — once SimpleCert shuts down, we will not be able to retrieve certificates stored there.
Log in to SimpleCert at simplecert.net using your webinar registration email.
Find your certificate dashboard and download each certificate as a PDF.
Save the files to your computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, or another secure location.
We recommend labeling each file clearly, e.g., "ECI_Certificate_WebinarName_Date.pdf".
Step 2: Create Your Free ECI Certificate Portal Account
Click Sign Up and enter your name, email address (use the same email you register with for ECI webinars), and a password.
Check your inbox for a verification email and click the confirmation link.
Log in! Certificates from webinars you attend after launch will appear automatically within 7 days.
What About Recording Viewers and Blank Certificates?
Nothing changes for recording viewers or late arrivals. Blank certificates will continue to be available via the link announced and displayed at the end of every live webinar and recording. You must capture that link yourself — we will not email it to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to create a new account?
No. However, the ECI Certificate Portal is a new system that stores all of your earned certificates with us over time. This is for your benefit to ensure that you always have proof of the professional development hours you have earned. We will always email you a pdf version no matter what, which we suggest you store on a personal drive.
I never created a SimpleCert account. Do I still need to log in there?
Your certificates may be available in SimpleCert even if you never created an account — the system uses your email address. Try logging in with your webinar registration email. If you cannot access them, contact us before June 2026.
What if I miss the June 2026 deadline?
Unfortunately, after June 2026 ECI will not be able to retrieve or re-issue certificates from SimpleCert. Please save your certificates before the deadline.
Will my new certificates look the same?
We’ve given our certificates an updated look. Your personalized ECI certificates will continue to be professional, printable PDFs. They will be available in your ECI Certificate Portal account and can be downloaded at any time.
Need Help?
Visit our Certificates page here, for complete up-to-date information. If you have a question not covered there, you can contact us at [email protected]
Thank you for being part of the Early Childhood Investigations community. We are committed to making this transition as smooth as possible for you.
