West Kootenay Child Care Resource and Referral

06/01/2026

Have your say!

Child care in BC has come a long way, but we want to know: how could it work better?

Are you a family with young children, an early childhood educator or child care operator? We want to hear from you. Your input will help shape how we strengthen and expand the system - so it works better for everyone.

Take the survey at gov.bc.ca/ChildCareSurvey

05/28/2026

We are deeply looking forward to Communities for Inclusion Mini-Conference on June 7th. Registration is open until June 3rd. Here is the direct link to register; https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=sePS8qyuRUiHAh7U5ZLlfn5mjlrzwAdPhytKzidge7tUMU1OSjQzNUdEV0xCT04zOEZQQVBSVVpDTi4u
If you reside over 50km away from Nelson we also invite you to apply for the travel bursary to support fuel costs to attend: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=sePS8qyuRUiHAh7U5ZLlfn5mjlrzwAdPhytKzidge7tUOVFZSUZBR0lXMDZRS09OUzRRUzlGWDlaTi4u

05/27/2026

We hope you can join us for the annual Welcome to Summer Event at Lions Park next Tuesday!

05/19/2026

The Stepping Stones Early Learning Program in Crawford Bay is holding an open house on June 7th, to introduce families to the program, which has space and is taking enrollment NOW, for September 2026.

✨ **You’re Invited to Our Open House!** ✨🌈

Come step into a world of play, learning, and connection at The Stepping Stones Early Learning Program!

Childcare Registration is NOW OPEN (May 1st, 2026)!

LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE for the 2026 / 2027 school season.

Join us for a fun-filled Open House Event! where families can explore our warm, welcoming space and see what makes our program so special. Whether you're already thinking about September 2026 or just curious, the educator would love to meet you!

🗓 Sunday, June 7th

⏰ 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

If the date or time don't work for you, no worries!
Simply reach out to us via email to set up a private Meet & Greet.

👶 **Who’s invited?**
Families with children ages **2.5 to 5 years old**

💬 **What to expect:**

* A relaxed info session for parents
* Meet your friendly neighborhood educator & childcare director
* Playtime for kids in our engaging learning environment
* Healthy snacks & smiles all around 😊

This is a great chance to ask questions, connect with other families, and see if Stepping Stones is the right fit for your child’s early learning journey 🌱

📧 Questions? Reach out anytime:
[email protected]

We can’t wait to welcome you! 💛 👣

05/15/2026

Hello Early Years and Child Child Care Community. Please join us for our Communities of Inclusion mini conference on June 7. Scroll through the pictures to learn more and click this link to register: https://forms.office.com/r/nLwnBbxRvr

05/13/2026

Recently, our very own West Kootenay CCRR Coordinator, Samantha Zaytsoff, was awarded the Gayle Davies Award at the Early Childhood Educators of BC conference. Anyone who has crossed paths with Samantha knows how capable, kind, and inspiring she is. Kootenay Kids is so lucky to have her as a mentor, friend and colleague.

Local Pedagogist Tracy Barkman was also given the award. Tracy continually inspires educators to reflect deeply on their practice, encouraging curiosity, meaningful connection, and thoughtful learning alongside children.

Both Samantha and Tracy have left a lasting impact on our community. We are so fortunate to have such inspiring educators to work alongside. Congratulations Samantha and Tracy on this well-deserved recognition! Our community is better because of educators like you. Let’s all take a moment to congratulate these two amazing educators on child care month. Please leave your comments here.

Educator Hayley Ratcliffe has written reflections on how the awards were given and her sneaking around. This is a great, short read you don’t want to miss. 😊

Each year, the Early Childhood Educators of British Columbia offers the Kay Britton Mentor Award . The award was created to honour the life and legacy of Kay Britton, and to recognize educators...

05/12/2026

Check out these wonderful offerings!

05/11/2026

Thanks to School District 8 for acknowledging the contributions of the child care workforce to our world!

05/09/2026

Child care is the backbone of a strong community, and a strong local economy here in the Nelson area.

Today is Child Care Provider Appreciation Day and we want to recognize the incredible child care providers, educators and early childhood professionals who support families across our region every single day.

Their work goes far beyond care. It creates the conditions for people to live and work here.

When families have access to reliable, quality child care, parents can participate fully in the workforce, businesses can hire and retain staff, and our local economy can function and grow.

It’s essential work, and it takes real commitment.

From early mornings to long days, child care providers show up with patience, skill and care, creating safe, supportive spaces where children can learn and thrive. That consistency and dedication makes a lasting impact not just on children, but on families and the broader community.

At Greater Nelson Economic Development, strengthening child care is a key part of our workforce priorities. Through initiatives like our multi-sectoral child care committee, we’re working alongside partners to better understand challenges, support providers and expand access.

To all the child care providers in our community: thank you. Your work matters, and it makes everything else possible. 💛

Learn more at https://kootenaychildcare.ca/

05/08/2026

Today is Child Care Provider Appreciation Day!! Our programs team celebrates, acknowledges and sees the incredible role of early years professionals in providing nurturing foundations for children and families. From all of our hearts we say thank you, we see you and we are deeply grateful to work alongside you in this work.