Tiny teacups are laid out on tables, bathrooms are equipped with cloud-shaped mirrors, stroller parking is in the hallway and separated play areas have water and climbing features on the third-floor outdoor play areas – all this in anticipation of welcoming more than 100 children to the new Seedlings Child Care Centre in Richmond’s city core.
But overwhelming interest in the 107 new spaces opening up for children aged six months to 13 years has resulted in the waitlist being closed.
Seedlings Child Care Centre, operated by the Richmond Society for Community Living (RSCL) and part of the Seedlings Early Childhood Development Hub, will be opening within a few weeks at the new Paramount building adjacent to the Brighouse Canada Line Station.
The high level of interest for their upcoming child-care services speaks to the high cost of living in Richmond and the need for two parents to work, explained Shannon Crofton, RSCL chief executive director. What is needed in the city is “reliable childcare that families know they can rely on and trust,” she added.
Seedlings will offer infant/toddler care, child care for children aged three to five, preschool and before-and after-school care.
The new child development hub, 19,000 square feet in size, was built by the developer, Keltic, in exchange for added bonus in their Paramount building.
While fees for full-time child care are more than $1,000 per month, they are subsidized by the society, for example, full-time infant and toddler fees are $1,150 – reduced by $350.
Helping to keep parent fees lower is the fact the city leased the space to RSCL for a nominal $1 a year -– despite its market value at $808,500, according to information from the city.
And to help buy furniture and equipment, the society received a provincial grant of $350,000.
The Richmond Society for Community Living serves a thousand Richmond clients from infants to seniors who have developmental disabilities.
But the child care centre welcomes everyone, Crofton said, whether kids need extra support for a developmental disability or not.
Instead of having a dedicated number of spots reserved for children with disabilities, the number of children with disabilities in their programs will depend on the individual children and their needs.
Support will go beyond the doors of Seedlings on No. 3 Road.
It offers in-house child care as well as support for children with disabilities even if they’re attending another centre.
For families of children with developmental disabilities, if they choose to attend another child care centre – for convenience, location or because their siblings attend it – RSCL can support those children with special equipment or education for their chosen centre.
The hub includes space for early intervention consultants and their service partner, BC Centre for Ability.
Lisa Cowell, RSCL communications manager, pointed out having children with disabilities integrated with “typical” children has more benefits than deficits for all kids.
Through inclusive programs, “our children have become much better at inclusion… and making people feel like they belong,” Cowell added.
Cowell said they were particularly happy to be able to offer children to children in such a wide age range, which allows “continuity of care,” especially for those kids needing extra support.
The facility also includes a multi-purpose room with an industrial kitchen that can be used for parent-child activities, meetings or other RSCL programs.
