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By Paul March Day care is more than just babysitting. Five years ago, day care in the Waterloo Region was noth- ing more than a handful of privately ' run nursery schools. Regional news and News Today. there are five government-operated day care and pre-school centres spread throughout the re- gion as well as the Early Childhood Education Cen- tre on the Doon Campus of Conestoga College. According to Mrs. Sheila MacKinnon, head of day care services in the re- gion, theres a three-fold philosophy for providing quality day care service locally. "We want children to develop in three areas-- physically. socially, and emotionally. It's a flexible program. A child deve- lops most in the first five years. We feel it's very important to meet the child's needs," said Mrs. MacKinnon, who initiated day care in (Prestoni Cam- bridge four years ago. She was appointed over- seer of all the centres last year when Regional Health and Social Services took charge of the operations. There's a centre in Kitchener and Preston. both accommodate 43 children. one in Elmira with a ca- pacity of 60 children, a pre-school centre in Hes- peler with 80 children on a half-day basis. with a new centre under construction in Galt to accommodate 50 toddlers. The programs are in- tegrated so children with special needs and limited learning ability can mix with others their own age. “It’s the only way. Chil- dren learn better with their peer groups. Theres a lot of special program- ming in motor develop- ment and coordination.“ Mrs. MacKinnon said. Each child's needs are studied by the teachers and the programs are fitted around them. However. Mrs. MacKin- non noted there was some need for routines that are followed daily because they give the child "some self-assurance. .. At a daily rate of $6 children are enrolled in a five-days-a-week program that provides them with meals. professional Instruc- tion and care, Costly equip- ment and playtime ma- terial is available, Although the fees charg- ed pay part of the operat- ing costs. most of the fund- ing IS underwritten by the provincial government which covers all capital costs as well as 80 per cont _ of the operating deficit The municipal govern- ment. In this case the region. covers the other 20 per cent However Mrs MacKinnon sand sincc day care IS In an expansion pro- Region's day cares handle over 7 " hut waiting list continues to grow cess across the entire "School teachers don't province, no real budget lit . . _ figures are available. She (3113 y. It , .a .speafic did say the budget for day we of training, rs. care in this area is 'ttttyi' MacKinnop said. compared with the other operating costs pf - health and social services. In some cases where parents request day care but can't afford it. the child will be enrolled in one of the centres or In a private- ly-owned nursery with the government absorbing the cost, It's not just working parents that are usmg day care. but also families where a spouse IS chrom- cally III. or parents having emotional dlftlculttes and simply can" cope with having children at home oven" dar Students at the Early Childhood Education centre at Conestoga College are observing youngsters in action through one-way mirrors. The study assists the girls in learning more about the behavorial patterns of the youngsters. liven though more than 700 children are getting day care m the region. theres a waning list at applicants at cach at the centres And, quality day scare is one of the main reasons there is an Early Childhood Education Centre on the Doon Campus of Conestoga _ l Nuance Chronicle, Wodnudoy, February be, 1976 - Pg. 21 College. With 57 students enroled in the first year of the course and 36 in the second, Titia Taylor. fa- culty person in charge of the pre-school section. said there are "more and more students entering the course each year. .. However. graduate stu- dents face low-paying jobs and there are only two males taking the course. Although the course grants a diploma after successful completion. . gra- duates must work for two years in an apprentice- ship before they are certi- fied by the Association for Early Childhood Educa- tion. According to Miss Taylor. the course is a heavy one, with three days a week in class. and two days spent doing field work. The OUR ONL v PRODUCT IS WALLPAPER, WE CA RRYA COMPLETE LINE OF WALLPAPER BOOKS [ OVER 300 BOOKS TO CHOOSE FROM 183 LOUISA ST., ' KITCHENER (AT WEBER ST.. N.) ' 745-3345 authentic recipe? 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In this way, the students apply both practical and theoretic- al khowledge to give them field work experience. The four faculty mem- bers teaching the course all have university de- grees, two of them have specific Early Childhood Education training. Quality day care is available in Waterloo Re- gion these days. If Sheila MacKinnon has her way. that's the way it will stay.