The College of New Caledonia is now offering its childcare service year-round for students and community members.
Now called the Early Care and Learning Centre, the daycare service was on the chopping block earlier this year to help offset a $1.2 million budget shortfall at the college.
Instead of putting an end to it, the college will offer full-time service to encourage consistent numbers, beginning in September. It can be a challenge to switch children from one daycare during the school year to another for the summer months.
Besides offering year round service, the daycare will be more comprehensive.
"The centre is so much more than a daycare and so we needed to change the name to more accurately reflect what it offers," said Randall Heidt, CNC's executive director of external relations. "Children in the Early Care and Learning Centre benefit from excellent caregivers, while also receiving the added bonus of Early Childhood Education students and instructors who observe and help them."
The centre will be equipped with microphones, allowing early childhood education students and instructors to listen and to and observe students in various natural situations through a special observation room with one-way glass.
"The unique setup has helped students, instructors and caregivers identify development, speech and other issues with children that may not have been discovered otherwise," Heidt said. "For example, students and instructors observed and identified a young boy's speech delay that had gone unnoticed by anyone else, including his parents. The caregivers then worked with the parents and others to help the boy, who overcame the speech delay. It's just an outstanding example of the quality of care in the learning centre."
For more information, or to register your child, call 250-561-5834 or e-mail [email protected].
The ECLC will operate Monday to Friday 7:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Monthly fees for CNC students are $715 per child. CNC employees and community members will pay $775 per month per child between the ages of three and five. Some part-time spots and other ages may be considered.
Provincial government subsidies may be available to families on a sliding scale, based on family income. For more information, call 1-888-338-6622 or visit www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/childcare.
