‘Trauma-informed’ daycare for refugee Kids among Fresh projects that are child-care

A brand new daycare which incorporates injury counselling for immigrant and refugee children in Victoria is among   projects that will be given a share of $33 million in  financing for new licensed child care areas in British Columbia.  

Even the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society’s  planned daycare for 28 infants and kids, in partnership with Family Services of Victoria, is  among   the projects eligible for provincial funding to make 948 fresh child-care spaces in Victoria and Vancouver Island communities extending from Ucluelet to Campbell River.  

David Lau, executive director of VIRCS, told sponsor Jason D’Souza the need for child care, particularly for infants, is so acute that the centre began receiving wait-list requests even before daycare plans were officially announced for the construction it bought in June.

With assistance from the $371,173 in provincial financing, Lau explained, “we’re hoping to build a more trauma-informed daycare service”

He said it is a model which was created in Australia, even though he isn’t aware of a similar daycare in Canada.

“With the sorts of children that go through our centre and also Family Services of Greater Victoria, we have some children who undergo and they could definitely use some assistance,” he said.

VIRCS already works programs for older kids and youth including an adjustment support team for ages 6 to 11 to assist immigrant and refugee kids overcome challenges like despair, and separation from family members, solitude and traumatic encounters.

Filling after-school care gap in Qualicum

Meanwhile, the   Qualicum First Nation is eligible for $500,000 to add a  new construction and 36 spaces — eight   to kids aged three to four decades, four preschool houses and 24 school-age areas  —  into  the Qualicum First Nation After School Care Centre.

Pam Moore, the manager of children’s services for the First Nation, said there hasn’t been any after-school care program in the community for several decades. The present daycare, which also provides good care of non-Indigenous kids in the community,  has been ” very well supported” from the chief and council, she said.  

Moore explained the new after-school care centre in addition to the new three-to-five-year-old spaces are  anticipated be ready for the beginning of the following school year. On the other hand, the neighborhood will still have a gap in infant and toddler care spaces.

In total, funding funding to make 3,806 new   child-care spaces was first announced Monday from B.C. Minister of Children and Family Development Katrine Conroy, having expectations that all of them will start  over one to two decades.  

source http://www.the-childrens-guide.com/trauma-informed-daycare-for-refugee-kids-among-fresh-projects-that-are-child-care/