Submitted. Parents of young children in Abbotsford will soon have access to a range of early learning, health and family services in one convenient location, announced Abbotsford South MLA Darryl Plecas. A new BC Early Years Centre is set to officially open in mid-September at Sweeney Neighbourhood Learning Centre to support families with children up to age 6.
“The Abbotsford School District is excited that this centre will link many existing services to ensure that our families have access to a wider range of opportunities for their children 0-6 years,” says Abbotsford Board of Education chair Cindy Schafer. “Building on a foundation of existing programs offered by the Abbotsford Early Childhood Committee partners, Abbotsford School District continues to work to ensure early learning is a top priority.”
“This is a really fantastic initiative and I am really looking forward to further expansion in the future,” said Plecas. “Many studies point toward better school outcomes if children receive individual attention during their early years.”
Hosted by Abbotsford Early Childhood Committee Partners, the centre will link many existing services to ensure that Abbotsford families have access to services that promote the health, well-being and development of Abbotsford children aged 0-6 years.
The BC Early Years Centre in Abbotsford is one of 14 new centres across the province. The chosen sites are in a diverse mix of urban, rural and Aboriginal communities, and will build on existing local community resources to enhance services for families. Each centre will receive $52,000 from the Provincial Office for the Early Years for this fiscal year as part of a $5.5-million investment over three years.
This is the second phase of an initiative under the B.C. Early Years Strategy to implement a network of Early Years Centres throughout the province that will provide families with one-stop, convenient access to a range of services and supports, information and referrals.
I am a firm believer in early childhood education…my child’s hearing loss was picked up by a preschool teacher…enabled us to get him the
supports he needed to succeed and our child is now attending university.
I have volunteered in the classroom from Preschool to Grade 4 and the
children, who had preschool education continued to move forward while
other children never were able to catch up.
Support for children, esp children with learning disabilities is key to
helping them succeed in future grades and move forward in life in a positive way.
We must do everything we can to help children be the best they can be…it starts in the early years.