What is the future of school-age care—and what needs to change first?

In this episode of the Forgotten ECE Podcast, Jamie sits down with Cody Topp, owner of TOPP KIDS in Alberta, Chair of the School Age Care Directors Association (SACDA), and a passionate advocate for school-age care across Canada.

Together, they dive into the realities of before-and-after school programs, the ongoing struggle for recognition within the ECE sector, and the leadership, advocacy, and system changes needed to move school-age care forward.

From Alberta and Ontario perspectives to workforce challenges and program quality, this conversation is honest, thought-provoking, and packed with insight for educators, leaders, and advocates alike.

If you care about the future of school-age care, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.

In This Episode:

• Cody Topp’s journey into school-age care leadership
• Why school-age care still struggles for recognition
• Alberta vs. Ontario perspectives on before-and-after school programs
• Leadership lessons from scaling large organizations
• The disconnect between leadership and frontline educators
• Advocacy and the future of school-age care in Canada
• What quality school-age programs should really look like
• What needs to change to better support educators and children

Cody Topp is the owner of TOPP KIDS in Alberta and Chair of the School Age Care Directors Association (SACDA). He is a passionate advocate for high-quality school-age care and has helped lead conversations around leadership, advocacy, and the future of out-of-school care programs across Canada.

🌐 School Age Care Directors Association (SACDA) ⁠https://www.calgarysacda.com⁠

💼 LinkedIn ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/cody-topp/⁠

🏫 TOPP KIDS ⁠https://www.toppkids.com/family/cody-topp/⁠

🎙 Forgotten ECE Podcast 📸 Instagram: @forgottenecepodcast

Be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with an educator or leader passionate about the future of school-age care.

#ForgottenECEPodcast #SchoolAgeCare #ECE #BeforeAndAfterSchool #ChildCareLeadership #OutOfSchoolCare #ECELeadership

About Today’s Guest: Connect with Cody Topp

Connect with the Forgotten ECE Podcast

Enjoying the Podcast?

Be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with an educator or leader passionate about the future of school-age care.

#ForgottenECEPodcast #SchoolAgeCare #ECE #BeforeAndAfterSchool #ChildCareLeadership #OutOfSchoolCare #ECELeadership

🌟 Episode Overview

In this episode of The Forgotten ECE, Jamie sits down with Jenny Nechvatal — educator, author, and parent advocate — to explore one of the most challenging and impactful parts of our work: having hard conversations with families.

With over 30 years in early childhood education and 22 years of lived experience parenting children with disabilities, Jenny brings a powerful dual perspective that challenges educators to rethink how we approach communication with families.

This conversation is especially important for those working in before and after school programs, where time is limited, relationships are complex, and difficult conversations often feel rushed or avoided altogether.

• Why hard conversations feel so difficult for educators
• Why families may avoid or fear these conversations
• The emotional realities families experience — especially around diagnosis and support
• How an educator’s approach can either build trust or create distance
• Understanding Autism and sensory processing in everyday practice
• Shifting from “delivering information” to building relationships
• Practical strategies to approach conversations with confidence and care
• Why these conversations directly impact outcomes for children

• Perspective changes everything — understanding the parent experience transforms how we communicate
• Avoidance is often rooted in fear, not resistance
• Timing, language, and tone matter more than we think
• Relationships come before recommendations
• Small shifts in approach can lead to significantly better outcomes for children and families

Jenny Nechvatal holds a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood and has worked in the early childhood sector for over 30 years in both teaching and management roles.

Her work is deeply shaped by her lived experience as a parent of two children who live with disabilities. This perspective led her to write:

📘 Embracing Disability in Early Childhood – Supporting Children Living with a Disability and Their Families in Early Childhood Settings

Jenny now facilitates workshops for educators and families, helping build inclusive environments and strengthening communication between educators and families through empathy, knowledge, and practical strategies.

When educators feel confident having difficult conversations, families feel supported — and children benefit.

This episode is a reminder that how we communicate is just as important as what we communicate.

📧 Email: ⁠idsenquiries@outlook.com⁠ 📘 Book: Embracing Disability in Early Childhood 🎤 Workshops: Available for educators and families

If this episode resonated with you:

⭐ Follow the podcast ⭐ Share with a fellow educator ⭐ Tag us and let us know your biggest takeaway

Hard conversations don’t have to feel like conflict. With the right lens, they can become moments of connection, understanding, and meaningful support for the children and families we serve every day.

What happens after the school day ends?

In this episode of The Forgotten ECE, I sit down with Megan from Discover and Play to talk about something we don’t talk about enough in school-age programs — sensory needs, emotional regulation and designing programs for neurodivergence.

We dive into: ✨ Why sensory play isn’t just for early years — it’s essential for school-age children ✨ How to support emotional regulation and self-calming in before and after school programs ✨ Creating inclusive environments where every child can feel successful and seen ✨ Simple, realistic sensory strategies you can start using right away

This conversation is a powerful reminder that school readiness isn’t just academic — it’s emotional, social, and deeply connected to how children feel in their bodies.

💛 Connect with Megan: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/discover_and_play/ YouTube: Discover and Play Book: https://a.co/d/0idxHycS

Connect with Megan on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@DiscoverandPlay-m1p

If you’re working in before and after-school programs, this episode will challenge you to rethink what children really need to thrive.

🎧 Listen now and let’s keep advocating for the children and educators who are too often forgotten.

#TheForgottenECE #SchoolAgeCare #BeforeAndAfterSchool #ECE #EmotionalRegulation #SensoryPlay #InclusionMatters