His Excellency President Dr Irfaan Ali said that the Day and Night Care and Early Childhood Development Centre in Anna Catherina will give parents and families the opportunity to advance their professional lives, increase their disposable income, and expand their economic base.
During the opening of the facility today on the West Coast of Demerara, the President underscored that the centre will not only provide a conducive environment for children to learn and grow, but will also serve as a hub for holistic development and community support.
“It’s about building equity in the system, giving everyone the type of support that is needed for the family to grow, for the community to grow, for your disposable income to grow. It’s about development.”
The 24-hour facility offers early childhood development services to support working parents with non-traditional hours, and is the first of several centres planned nationwide. During the day, the facility will provide care for babies between the ages of newborn and three years, and at night will accommodate children up to 12 years old.
It has a capacity for 50 children every eight hours. In addition to providing flexible, purposeful, and tangible care for the children, the facility will also feature early screening to monitor their needs, growth, developmental milestones, and abilities.
“If you look at the facility itself, it’s about an environment that is conducive for the development of the children. It’s about their mental development. It’s about the skills development. It’s about their education development. It’s about their value development. That is what this facility represents, a holistic development of a child and a family.”
Parenting classes will also be available.
The Minister of Human Services and Social Security, the Honourable Dr Vindya Persaud, along with other Government officials and members of the diplomatic community, were also at the event.