British Columbia

British Columbia is committed to the well-being, care, and learning of children. That’s why we’re working to make child care available to anyone who wants it, at a price they can afford. 

Childcare BC Vision

The vision for year 10 of Childcare BC is all children and families will benefit from child care that is:

• Affordable and well supported so that families pay no more than $10/day per child, or less for lower-income families, for licensed care
• The best start delivered by highly qualified professionals who have the training, knowledge, skills and abilities to deliver high-quality, culturally safe and enriching settings aligned with BC’s Early Learning Framework
• Open to every child and every family with inclusive care for children up to and including age 12 and higher where needed
• Available and reliable with staff that receive appropriate pay and recognition to deliver a service that families, communities and employers can depend on
• Responsive and respectful to Indigenous jurisdiction over child care for Indigenous children and families
• Accessible and inclusive to children of all backgrounds and abilities

We Want to Hear From You

As the Province advances its Childcare BC Plan, the Ministries of Children and Family Development and Education want to hear from a broad range of child care partners – from child care providers, community service partners, parent organizations, school districts and child care advocates. We value your input and would like to know what you think is most critical as we continue to evolve early learning and child care in British Columbia.

Ways to Participate

We’re hosting a series of activities to hear directly from B.C.’s child care partners. Subscribe (on the top right-hand corner of this page or at the bottom of the page on mobile devices) to be notified of upcoming participation opportunities.

1. Attend the virtual Information Session

What is it? Virtual facilitated webinar for early learning and child care partners with information sharing, panel discussion, Q&A session, and electronic input into future sessions.

When is it? December 1, 2021, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

Please register here

2. Participate in a self-paced feedback session

What is it? An opportunity for early learning and child care partners to provide self-paced feedback on a range of topics in a way that works best for their busy schedules.

When is it? Launching December 2, 2021 and open until February 15, 2022

3. Attend a virtual workshop on a specific topic of most interest to you

What is it? A series of interactive, facilitated and virtual sessions focused on a single topic, where partners can provide feedback on questions using an interactive whiteboard. We will use digital tools to capture feedback during the sessions.

When is it? Coming in the New Year

What will we do with the feedback you provide?

We value your input. Feedback collected throughout this engagement will be used to support decision-making on the future of early learning and child care in B.C. Any follow-up information, including summaries and results of consultation will be shared on this page.

Disruption & Transformation

The crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted young children and families, as well as all the systems of care and support for them. Compounding this duress have been the effects and threats of climate change, as well as growing awareness of the impact of social, economic and racial inequities. Further, here in BC, there has been acknowledgement of the additional stressors and barriers faced by families with children with complex support needs.

The 2022 Early Years Conference will focus on the theme: Disruption and Transformation to reflect our changed landscapes and systems. Many services have been forced to make radical changes in how they support young children and families. Many are experiencing burnout. But some have also found power in the possibility, leading to innovation, strengthened relationships with children and families, and stronger connections across communities.

Event overview

Join us virtually on March 1 & 2, 2022 for the Early Years Conference 2022: Disruption and Transformation, where we will reflect on and explore the important but delicate relationship between these two forces. We invite those in the early childhood development, intervention and family support fields to attend the Early Years Conference 2022. We will explore the factors impacting children’s development and family support services during this challenging time.

We are pleased to announce the conference keynotes will be provided by Dr. Jennifer Charlesworth, British Columbia’s Representative for Children and Youth, and Dr. Michael Ungar, Canada Research Chair in Child, Family and Community Resilience and Professor of Social Work, Dalhousie University. We look forward to the opportunity to connect their expertise and insight to the conference theme of disruption and transformation.

Please see below for the ‘At a Glance’ Conference Program. The conference program details will be updated as speakers and sessions are confirmed. Conference registration will be launched in November 2022.

Conference Program "At a glance"

Learning Objectives

During the Early Years 2022 Conference, participants can expect to:

• Review the latest evidence-based research and practice related to child development, early childhood intervention, and family support
• Recognize the impact of disorder and disruption on children and families but also those who support them
• Be inspired – to lead, to innovate and to bounce forward
• Build stronger connections with peers and with the children and families they support

Who Should Attend

This conference will be of interest to all those who work with young children and/or families, including:

• Aboriginal/ Indigenous Early Childhood Development Professionals 
• Administrators/Managers
• Advocacy Organizations
• Behavioural Therapists
• Counsellors
• Dietitians and Nutritionists
• Early Childhood Educators
• Education Assistants
• Families
• Family Development Workers
• Family Resource Program Staff
• Government Representatives
• Infant Development Consultants
• Infant Mental Health Professionals
• Nurses 
• Occupational Therapist
• Oral Health Professionals
• Parent Educators 
• Physicians
• Physiotherapists
• Policy Makers
• Pregnancy Outreach Groups
• Program Facilitators
• Psychologists
• Recreation Therapists
• Researchers
• School Administrators
• Social Workers
• Speech Therapists
• Students
• Support Workers
• Supported Child Development Consultants
• Teachers
• Other