20 Red Deer Express
Wednesday, October 10, 2012 - Small Business Week
Range of programs offered by Red Deer Childcare Society BY MARK WEBER Red Deer Express Local families can rest assured that their children can enjoy quality programs and the best of care under the auspices of the Red Deer Child Care Society. Rob Elliot, the Society’s executive director, said that on any given day, some 650 children are utilizing some form of the non-profit Society’s accredited programming. “We provide care for children up to age 12, and it’s divided into three programs. There is a pre-school program, a family day home program and a school-age program,” he explained. The school-age programs serve children before and after their classes, and the Society has partnerships with both the Red Deer Public School division and the Red Deer Catholic division. The history of the Red Deer Child Care Society stretches back to 1970, when a group of parents launched the Red Deer Day Care Center and Family Day Home Program, which was operated by the Red
Deer Day Care Society. In 1980, the City of Red Deer took over operation of the services, and in August of that year the Center relocated to Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School. The following years saw the openings of several day cares and the start-up of school age programs as well. In 1990, the Red Deer Child Care Society was established as an independent non-profit organization. Through all the changes and the constant growth, the vision has remained intact -- to offer a fun, safe and nurturing place for children to come when their parents can’t be with them. A ‘Learning through Play’ philosophy is also the basis of all programming, said Elliot. The quality of service also stems from the ECD Mapping Initiative through the province. It’s a research and community development activity that helps Albertans to better understand how their young children are doing and to work together to support their healthy development.
A determination is made of where children are at based on certain criteria. “From that, we are able to identify areas of concern,” he said. “There was one done about three years ago, and we are in the process of updating it.” Its impact on the Society at the local level can be seen through funding priorities that the province becomes aware of. “It identifies areas and needs, and then we can get some funding that will address those particular needs. It’s quite an exciting project.” At the heart of the Society’s mission is also an effort to partner with community groups. Along with the school divisions, the Society is also working with Women’s Outreach and they also offer a means of educating local students about child care. “We provide practicums throughout all our programs for students from the high schools.” As Elliot pointed out, the services offered by the Society provide an essential means of supporting economic growth and stability
STARTING RIGHT – Rob Elliot, executive director of Red Deer Child Care Society, and his staff Mark Weber/Red Deer Express work hard to develop programs for local children and youth. across the City as well. “We enable people to be secure in providing safe care so they can feel comfortable going out into the workforce. We can look after their children right from birth through to Grade six.” Elliot also encourages folks in the community
to get involved via board membership. “It’s quite a rewarding experience,” he said. “You get the opportunity to have an influence on how the programs are operated.” Meanwhile, a high standard to the programs is ensured, he said. Accreditation is maintained via an
outside agency’s examination of the Society’s procedures, he said. “We also have coordinators who do a lot of monitoring, as well as program mentors. The mentors go in and assist staff to ensure we are providing the best care possible.” editor@reddeerexpress.com
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