Peace and Environment News* December 1998-January 1999
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Peace and Environment News * December 1998-January 1999 |
by Kim Askew
 Glebe Parents' Day Care. Photo: Linda Archibald. |
Another kind of cooperative in operation in our community is the Glebe Parents' Day Care. In existence since 1972, the centre is a non-profit, charitable organization that functions as a parent-staff cooperative.
Initially opened in the basement of the Glebe United Church, the centre is now housed in a spacious, modern and charmingly designed building of its own at 10 Fifth Avenue. Painted bright colours and spotlessly clean, the centre welcomes 280 children currently enrolled in the eight different programs offered. Infants have an area for play and a tranquil room of white cribs for naps. Toddler, preschool and kindergarten programs each have their own section of the building complete with colourful toys and games neatly stored, places to run around in and quiet places to curl up in. The centre has a protected outdoor courtyard where the children play out of doors and a spacious basement for vigorous indoor play in the wintertime. The ratio of staff to children is low and children take part in a structured daily program of activities. Children also have a nap each day and are served a tasty and nutritious lunch and afternoon snack prepared by a full-time cook in the centre's kitchen. The day care caters to busy parents who work or attend school full time. Most children arrive between 7:30 and 9:00 in the morning and are picked up between 4:00 and 5:30 in the evening.
The centre is governed by a board of directors made up of parents and staff, with parents holding the majority. The board meets monthly to discuss policy issues. Decisions are arrived at through a consensus model that seems to work well. The nature of the day care is such that few contentious issues arise. Typical issues might include health policies, payment policies or deciding what the penalty is for arriving late to pick up one's child. Other items of concern, such as behaviour management policies, are also discussed. The cooperative is different from other nursery school cooperatives in that parents are not required to participate in the day to day running of the day care centre.
The centre offers a full-time program only, with the exception of an after 4 p.m. program for school age children. The centre also offers a family home child care service that places children in the care of homemakers with children of their own. On a rotating basis, these children are brought to the centre with their caregivers to make use of the centre's resources and recreation space and to provide home child caregivers the opportunity to meet with one another and share ideas. The cooperative has three other locations: Corpus Christi School, Mutchmor School, and Hopewell School.
And yes, there is a waiting list. Parents may wait up to a year, depending on the program required, to enroll their child at the Glebe Parents' Day Care.
Kim Askew is a writer living in Ottawa.
Converted July 31, 1999 - Lg
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