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Joint daycare program a success by Marcie Johnston F.W.I.O. Secretary The Executive of the Federated Women's Institutes of Ontario, in early February, I984, decided since there is a need for child care in the rural areas, that they pilot a project taking advantage of the Summer Canada Works '84 Program. First I had to find out if there was a need in my County of Perth. By word of mouth, I came up with 30 names of families in Perth and through Beth Slumskie of Concerned Farm Women, 30 families in Grey- Bruce. To qualify, the farm wife had to have no off-farm job, at least one preâ€"schooler. and she assisted in the barn and/or fields. A Child Care Worker would rotate to each of five homes, one day a week at the cost of$l per child per day for all of her children for the period inâ€" cluding May 14 to Aug. 24, I984. This service would provide conâ€" tinuous supervision of the child (children) while the mother was oc- cupied with farm tasks and may in- clude other duties like meal prepara- tion and clean-up as time would perâ€" mit. Farm safety was to be greatly stressed for the safety of all children. There would be a worker to meet the older children coming home on the bus from school. We hoped to employ students who studied early childhood education and would be knowledgable about the stages of child development. He or she should enjoy working with children, have baby-sitting exv perience, and/or camp experience, or other related experiences. The student should be mature, trustworthy, able to effectively manage time. able to communicate and carry out instruce tions. He or she should be in good health and preferably a nonesmoker. A car would be an asset. but other transportation may be used depen- ding on distances. Under the Student Employment Qualification for Summer Canada Works ’84. a student must have a secondary education, presently enrolled in school and planning to continue the following year. ADVANTAGES FOR THE WORKER The Child Care Worker would gain experience to help obtain a job 10 in the future, get five character references and learn about five family living experiences, thus preparing the student for future life experiences. ORIENTATION FOR CHILD CARE WORKER Instruction was given in the impor- tance of honesty. compatability, child care and safety. V I Program part1c1pants taught Canada‘s Food Guide and en- couraged children to eat properly. Basic personal hygeine such as when to wash hands. was stressed along with the importance of sleep and ex- ercise both indoor and out. Participants were provided with support material such as: farm safe- ty colouring books, Farm Safety Fact Sheets. Story Books, Box of 48 crayons, and pamphlets on baby- sitting, poisonous plants, and emergency procedures. The pilot project did not pass in Perth County. but M.P. Gary Gurv bin approved it in Bruce for four students servicing 20 families to the cost of $l0,000. Although this pro- ject was instigated by Federated Women‘s Institutes of Ontario, Dr. Gurbin asked for a coâ€"sponsor which was the Concerned Farm Women with Helen Cumming as the Cfintact person. I did the bookkeeping and pay roll and Mrs. Cumming Oi Dob- bington. took all the local calls. llUES» [ions from parents and/or stuufimS Several parents disqualified (luring. the project, some went on holi 94v; or maternity leave, so other p: ‘ V came into the program. EVALUATION At an evaluation evening it b lmc evident both students and pater felt the project was great! They v. t u would continue next year and m would be willing to pay mort 'hé parents wished they had knov. he Child Care Workers were St tn qualified and suggested a pa‘ ig' get-together to discuss all rc in- sibilities of both students rid parents. They could have use he students on two consecutive (I IDEAS FOR THE FUTURE A Farm Labour Pool concert ike Agriâ€"Crew, when parents v, tltl phone in to ask for workers at .s,times for either 2 to 3 days, til-s could be subsidized with the r- ‘Fll to pay perhaps $15 per day. ' t'IIIS Pictured are Ihefr‘ve participants of the summer project. From 19f l ’0 " “r they are (from) Carol Davey, Donna Davey, Marianne Lamont and C ""1 Hopkins and Leslie Bartlett in the back. .. .A_.,c..q,.â€"c-- .g_