Chawathil First Nation Opens First Child-Care Centre

May 12, 2010

Hope – The Chawathil First Nation is celebrating the opening of its first on-reserve child-care centre, announced Minister of Children and Family Development Mary Polak. The 20-space facility is a newly built infrastructure, created with $500,000 in major capital funding received from the ministry in March 2008.The centre will integrate traditional cultural elements such as singing and drumming, and will encourage Elders and other cultural influences in the community to participate with the children.

“We know that the first years of a child’s life are crucial in providing the foundation for learning, development and good health,” said Polak. “Culturally relevant programming for Aboriginal children is a very important part of their development, and I’m happy to see that the Chawathil First Nation child-care centre will provide these services.”

The Lalem Ye Mamele (House of Children) child-care centre will offer licensed child care to four infants and 16 toddlers (aged three to five). The centre will teach children cultural activities like traditional plant identification as well as the traditional Halq’eméylem language for colours, animals and more.

“The people of the Chawathil First Nation should be very proud of the culturally inclusive facility they’ve created for families on the reserve,” said Chilliwack-Hope MLA Barry Penner. “I’m pleased the B.C. government has been able to provide funding to support child care in this new setting.”

“We would like to thank the ministry for their assistance, as without it this proud moment would not have been possible,” said Patricia John, manager of Lalem Ye Mamele (House of Children). “We now have a facility to serve our families who want to further their education, enter the workforce or have the opportunity to enhance their parenting skills.”

Chawathil First Nation is celebrating the opening of the Lalem Ye Mamele centre by holding an open house from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. today. The centre will begin operating on Monday.

Chawathil First Nation and the Lalem Ye Mamele centre are located seven miles west of Hope on the Highway 7.

Since 2003, nearly $7 million has been invested in capital projects to expand the number of licensed child-care spaces for Aboriginal and First Nations children in British Columbia.

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Media Contact:

Christine Ash
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Children and Family Development
250 356-1639
250 812-3616 (cell)