The Cariboo Family Enrichment Centre (CFEC) has announced it will be operating a fully licensed child care program in 100 Mile House.
"The CFEC board felt strongly that we had a duty to the community to open a day care following the gap in services for children and families that will result from the announced closure of the 100 Mile Day Care on June 30," says society board chair Sheila Hart.
CFEC executive director Lisa De Paoli says all her staff is "very excited" about the chance to boost the child-care options in the community.
"The opportunities to enhance programming for children in 100 Mile House are huge with this initiative."
The day care will be operated from an existing building located beside the 100 Mile Junior Secondary, and she notes it will have a totally new look and features.
This will include a natural playground and outdoor learning area utilizing logs, rocks and plants, De Paoli says, adding studies have shown those features bring greater outdoor-time benefits to children.
The day care and playground will provide both support and a model for other services, day cares and early childhood educators in the South Cariboo, she explains.
"We're going to be working closely together with the other day cares to provide high quality child-care services for the whole of 100 Mile."
She says the CFEC Day Care will provide infant and toddler care, preschool and before- and after-school care.
The plan is for a licensed capacity for 69 children at any given time, De Paoli adds, to be governed by the CFEC board of directors and managed by the CFEC management team.
"The 100 Mile community and the [CFEC] are very lucky to have Sheila Glen leading us in our family day care.
"You could not ask for a more highly qualified person in the province, or a more enthusiastic individual about early childhood education."
The CFEC will soon begin recruiting trained early childhood educators, including someone qualified in infant development and special needs, which something De Paoli notes is not currently offered in town.
The Cedar Crest Society for Community Living will also provide trained individuals to lend their support to the new facility, she explains.
It is hoped the new day care will open in August, De Paoli says, and will also provide increased opportunities to connect with families that can benefit from the many other services offered by CFEC.
Anyone interested is encouraged to drop in at CFEC at 486 S. Birch Ave., call 250-395-5155 or e-mail Sheila at sglen@cariboofamily.org for more information or to register their children.
