Waiouru day care centre may close

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 392, 25 June 1991, Page 1

Waiouru day care centre may close

BY

JO]

HOWIE

The Waiouru Child Care Centre has less than three weeks to find a qualified supervisor or the Centre will have to close. "Its as simple as that", said Kim Christiansen, the present supervisor. "If we cannot find a suitable qualified person then we are not eligible for a licence to operate, and the Centre will have to close". Kim has been supervisor for 13 months and is moving out of the region to accompany her husband on an army posting.

There is the difficulty in attracting fully qualified Child Care personnel to the Centre because of its isolation and the relicencing regulations which require an Early Childhood Education Diploma or an Equilivance Point Certificate. Most of the staff are spouses of military personnel and are undertak-

ing study to gain an early childhood qualification. The officers from the Education Review Office had a favourable report expressing satisfaction that all objectives were being met, that is: to meet the physical, emotional, social, and education needs of each Turnpage2

Child care centre may close

From page 1 child. "Child care centres have become more early childhood education centres, rather than child minding centres," said Kim. The centre is licenced to care for 30 children and there is a waiting list for children wanting

permanent care, indicating need for the facility. Fees are kept at a minimum and are subsidised by Government funds, to make it an affordable service to a wider community. "We are a unique community and desperately need the child care centre. We are isolated and families have no family support or extended family to assist in child minding," said Kim. "Some mothers

need to work because of the economic recession and some children need to come because they have been referred by the Department of Social Welfare. There are numerous reasons why we need this popular facility." Next week all children and staff are moving to a different location for approximately six weeks while the Centre undergoes major refur-

bishment. This is to get the most out of the existing building as well as creating a better working environment. "I will really miss this place," said Kim. "With these renovations the new supervisor will have lovely new working conditions, all open plan making everything more accessible for the children. I will miss my supportive staff and committee".