The Cariboo Child Care Society’s outstanding leadership has won them a 2018 Child Care Award of Excellence from the B.C. government.                                                       

“The Cariboo Child Care Society is receiving one of this year’s provincial awards, in part because of its innovative partnership with Thompson Rivers University,” said Katrine Conroy, Minister of Children and Family Development. “This partnership allows students who are studying to become early childhood educators to gain real-life, hands-on experience with kids, while learning from experienced child care providers.”

The students spend two mornings a week at the on-campus child care centre. The children then join the early childhood education students for two mornings a week at the teaching classroom, where the kids participate in programming that the students plan and facilitate.

“It’s important to provide children with enriched learning experiences and to challenge their abilities at every age and stage,” said Katrina Chen, Minister of State for Child Care. “From food choices, to art projects, to outdoor activities, early childhood educators at this centre work with each child and their family to make sure their unique needs are being met every day.”

The Cariboo Child Care Society’s team provides home-cooked lunches for the kids each day, and they spend the majority of their day outside, where the children can play, get fresh air and be messy. To help encourage physical play, staff have built a number of climbing structures, along with giving kids access to parallel bars, a climbing wall and a zip line.

Quick Facts:

• The Cariboo Child Care Society is one of four child care providers in British Columbia that have been selected to receive 2018 Child Care Awards of Excellence in the provincial category.
• The provincial award recognizes early learning and care professionals (ECL) or teams who work in child-care settings throughout the province and demonstrate excellence in at least one of the following areas:
  • working collaboratively with others, creating cultural safety through culturally competent practice and inclusion of Indigenous language, culture and traditions, ensuring inclusion/encouraging diversity, supporting community efforts and continuous improvement/excellence in early learning.
• The Child Care Awards of Excellence recognize the exceptional contributions that early childhood educators, licensed child care providers, organizations and local governments make throughout British Columbia.
• Award recipients were nominated by peers, parents and local governments. The ministry received 66 nominations for this year’s awards.
• The Cariboo Child Care Society has been providing high-quality care for children and families in Kamloops for the past 45 years. Its main goal is to support the child care needs of the students at Thompson Rivers University, then the faculty and staff and off-campus families.

Learn More:

View photos from the ceremony here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bcgovphotos/31002407128/in/datetaken-public/

For more information about child care in British Columbia, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare

For more information about the Cariboo Child Care Society, visit: www.tru.ca/daycare.html