Cree-ative Wonders Daycare

Our hours of operation are Monday to Thursday 7:45 am to 4:30 pm depending on the program the child is signed up for.

We have a very qualified staff with over 100 years of combined experience in childcare and early education and development.

Education is a key social determinant of health and, especially in the early years, can have a major influence on the health and quality of an individual’s life. The history of education for First Nations people in BC (and Canada) is marked significantly by fear and pain, which has affected children, families and communities. These feelings present obvious difficulties for encouraging learning.

The education component promotes life-long learning with activities that encourage a child’s readiness to learn. Activities also focus on the physical, spiritual, emotional, intellectual and social development needs of children. Community members, including Elders, are involved in helping with early literacy activities.

The health promotion component encourages children and families to have a healthy lifestyle. Programming promotes physical activity, such as playground activities and traditional games. Staff promote self-care, such as helping children to brush their teeth, and encourage appropriate assessments for children (for example, vision and hearing testing). Programming also includes visits with health professionals such as nurses and dental hygienists. Parents and families are also supported with access to health professionals.

Nutrition is an important part of healthy living. Good food can improve an individual’s health and poor or inadequate food can undermine health. Good eating habits established early can lead to better health throughout life.

While food security can be an issue for some First Nations people, providing information about nutrition and healthy eating to children and their caregivers is key to long-term health.

Programming offers nutritious snacks and meals and provides children with opportunities to participate in traditional food gathering activities.

Social support is an important social determinant of health. Quite simply, the support of family and community is critical in determining an individual’s health. Many First Nations people experience strong social support - whether its communities helping members who are suffering from an illness or tragedy, or family members at a maternity ward to support a new mother and baby.

While colonization, to some degree, has eroded the strong social supports that have always been central in the lives of First Nations, these supports can be rebuilt in our families and communities.

The social support component informs parents and guardians about the resources, services and health providers available to them to achieve a healthy and holistic lifestyle.

The parental and family involvement component recognizes and supports the role of parents and family as the primary teachers and caregivers of their children. Programming provides opportunities for participation in parent/guardian committees, children's field trips and other activities.

We are the only center in the Chetwynd/Hudson Hope/Moberly Lake area that has separate programs for Toddlers and Preschoolers full time. We are the largest program in the area, and it has been done much through the work of Saulteau First Nations staff and leadership with funding help and guidelines from various partners. We have developed as a service and not a business where the community comes before the business. The staff try very hard to find ways to work with families while also following the required rules and regulations of our licensing and funders.

It would surprise many people to know that it costs a lot to operate the center. This has a lot to do with the licensing requirements that outlines the staff to child ratio. We have one of the best buildings in BC and are one of the top programs. The staff we have is one of the biggest reasons for this as they go above and beyond for the children.

When a parent applies for a space at the center when it is available, we have to take the time to make sure our program, current children and the new child is a right fit for the center. For this reason, we start children off participating in the morning program first and when they are ready, they can move into a full-time program.

Parents are always welcome to come to the center or visit and we recommend they stay for the first few visits. A child will move to full day as quickly as they are ready, which could be the first day or longer. Some children take a lot longer to adjust but when they are ready, we can proceed. We only adjust children 1 or 2 at a time so they can be the focus.

Our staff is not certified Special Needs Educators and currently there is no funding for extra special needs support staff. This is something we have been pushing the government to fund along with more supports and specialists for Early Intervention.

Our program does require all documents to be in the file prior to a child starting, including immunization records. We require that all staff and children be immunized to attend this program unless they can prove that they are medically unable to be immunized.

Please visit Cree-ative Wonders Head Start on Facebook and check out our programs.

7:45 am - 4:30 pm