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An anti-bullying program teaching tolerance and kindness to kindergarten children is being expanded into 360 elementary schools and daycares, Premier Christy Clark announced Monday.
The Roots of Empathy program – which brings a family with a baby into classrooms to develop empathy in the children – will add 121 kindergarten classrooms, in addition to the existing 239.
The sister Seeds of Empathy program, which focuses on four and five year olds, already exists in 18 mainstream and 14 aboriginal and First Nations preschools and childcare settings. Another four will be added in 2011-12.
“Bullying has no place in our schools and parents deserve to know their children are safe in school,” Clark said at Morley Elementary School in Burnaby.
The Ministry of Children and Family Development and the Ministry of Education will spend a joint $800,000 annually to support both programs over five years.
The Roots of Empathy program promotes respectful and kind behavior, and addresses bullying, harassment, violence and intimidation. Seeds of Empathy fosters social and emotional competence in preschool-aged children.
Vancouver has the highest cyberbullying numbers in Canada, according to a recent survey.