Mad Hatter Page 2

 

"In Calgary, there are currently 2,200
children in out-of-school care facilities,"
he says. "There is probably a need for

another /,000 spaces even though this city

has a generally higher profile, and better

use of facilities than other Canadian
elries.”

In all of B.C. there are 3,400 spaces
available in child care facilities for these

children, says Barbara Waterman of the School-

Aged Child Care Association of B.C.

"My question is, where are all the children
not in registered facilities going?" she

asks.

Another problem she notes is the stereotype

people put on out-of-school care facilities.

School-Aged Children Need Facilities

"At first glance many people consider out-of-
school care centres as a place for young
people to go to before a Brownie meeting or
something similar," she says. "That kind of

practise doesn't work."

"School~aged children need facilities that

are more like community centres than a day

eare centre," she adds.

Bul some progress is being made, and under
the Challenge '85 summer work program a group
of post-secondary students are putting

loge ther

a project to set up a centre for

children between eight and 15 years.

 

 

"Society is turning into an age of day 9
care," Waterman says. "And children are
being presented opportunities to learn on
their own at our centres. That's partly

because older children don't want to be in

traditional day care centres."

Both Waterman and Kuiken will be speaking
at a special one day symposium on out-of-
school care on Saturday, June 15, at

Douglas College.

The program will feature Kuikenas the key-
note speaker, discussing out-of-school care
as "A Service in its Own Right". Other
topics include bridging the pre-school and
out-of-school care, responsible adult
training, using community resources, funding
and financial management, and a look @

future of school-aged child care.

New Field is Really Exciting

"It's a fairly new field, and it's really
exciting," Waterman says. "This conference
should attract anyone with school-age chil-
dren, educators, government and agency

interested people."

personnel and any other

The Symposium on Out-of-School Care will be
held at Douglas College, beginning at

0900 hours, June 15. The $25 registration
fee includes lunch and pre-registration is

required. Contact Douglas College Communi ty

Programs and Services at 520-5473.

- DOUGLAS COLLEGE NEWS SERVICES