B.C.’s Seamless Day program expands, provides more kindergartners with after school care

B.C’s Seamless Day Kindergarten program has expanded to several more schools across the province, adding 18 new schools to the initial 25-school pilot group.

Seamless Day is a program that started in Oliver, B.C., in 2019 with the intention of making child care more affordable and accessible.

Families at pilot program schools are allowed to have children in Kindergarten signed up for before and after-school care in their classroom, where the program says they’re cared for by certified early childhood educators in collaboration with the classroom’s teacher.

The province’s Minister of Education and Child Care, Rachna Singh, says this expansion provides “continuity for more B.C. kids and peace of mind to more B.C. parents.”

“To have kindergarteners learning and receiving before and after-school care all in one place makes days easier for everyone.”

One parent in Oliver, B.C. says Seamless Day significantly benefited her son as he transitioned into elementary school.

“The familiarity and routine for my son is priceless in building his confidence and trust. He has flourished in school, and we could not be happier,” Tracy Maplesden-McClymont explained.

Oliver Elementary School kindergarten teacher Melia Dirk adds the program helps children make connections with adults and each other in their new building early on, as opposed to kids getting used to early educators at a separate daycare in addition to kindergarten.

“Children feel more confident in who they are and become positive leaders in the classroom and school.”

Seamless Day saw a $3 million investment from the B.C. government for the 2022-23 school year, which brought 20 more classrooms to the fold.

The provincial government says it has committed an additional $4.1 for the program’s expansion heading into the 2023-24 school year.