Survey asks parents what they need to help their children grow

Waterloo Region – A new survey that asks parents what experiences they look for with their children will help shape the future of child and family centres in Waterloo Region.

Child and family centres provide free programs and services that help children learn and play on their own and with their parents and caregivers in an engaging way. They also help parents and caregivers strengthen relationships with their children. These centres, which are changing from Ontario Early Years Centres to Ontario Early Years Child and Family Centres (OEYCFCs), are reviewing their programs and services to ensure they meet the needs of all families.

“Parents are the experts on their children and have the most powerful influence on their learning,” says Children’s Services Director Barb Cardow. “We want to know what they need from an OEYCFC to feel like they belong, are contributing to their child’s development, and are engaged.”

Survey participants will be asked what programs and services they are interested in and what they would use the OEYCFCs for. They will also rank how important certain aspects of a child and family centre are to them, including location, drop-in programs, and programs that are culturally specific.

The Ontario Early Years Centres, the Region, and several community agencies are working together to plan for the OEYCFCs. The survey results and demographic information will help determine what programs and services OEYCFCs should offer and where they should be located.

The survey can be found at: http://bit.ly/OEYCFCs.  

-30-

For more information, please contact:
Barb Cardow
Director, Children’s Services
Region of Waterloo
519-883-2177
bcardow@regionofwaterloo.ca