Emergency child care program expands to meet demand for care

Waterloo Region – The Region of Waterloo is expanding its emergency child care program to meet the need for this service across Waterloo Region. 

Two child care centres and several caregivers with Wee Watch Licensed Home Child Care have been approved by the Province to provide emergency child care, adding about 90 spaces to the program. 

Head to Toe YMCA Child Care at Resurrection Catholic Secondary School and Groh YMCA Child Care at Groh Public School will start opening spaces to children in Kitchener next week. 

Caregivers with Wee Watch will open this week to help meet the demand for emergency child care in rural areas and across the rest of the region. 

All emergency child care operators follow provincial health and safety requirements and have plans in place to protect against the spread of COVID-19. 

The emergency child care program is part of the Community Support Control Group’s pandemic response plan. 

Quotes:

“We are so grateful to Early Childhood Educators and home child care providers for doing their part to support families who really need help at this time,” said Barb Cardow, Director of Children’s Services at the Region of Waterloo. “Broadening the emergency child care program’s reach across the region will ensure we can accommodate all preferences and needs of the families we serve. 

“As a valued partner, we are proud to play a role in the emergency child care plan for our region. We have been providing child care for over 30 years in this community and feel grateful that we can support our essential staff and their families in this way,” said Peter Sweeney, CEO of the YMCAs of Cambridge and Kitchener-Waterloo. 

"Wee Watch is honored to participate in the Emergency Child Care program and we look forward to helping the families who need care during this challenging time," said Marcia Waddell, Area Supervisor for Wee Watch Licensed Home Child Care.

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For a media interview, please contact: 

Sherry Morley, Communication Coordinator, Community Services, smorley@regionofwaterloo.ca, 226-750-6972