Ontario Early Years Centre Simcoe North > Services & Programs

SERVICES OVERVIEW

The Ontario Early Years Centre â€“ Simcoe North provides a range of services and supports guided by principles that focus on building supportive relationships based on equality, respecting family strengths and capacity, respecting diversity and furthering community development.

We focus on the promotion of wellness for families, their children and our communities. We work in our communities to affirm that parenting is a life-long learning process.

We strive to provide programs and supports sensitive to the social, linguistic and cultural diversity of families and communities, including Francophone and Aboriginal communities.

It is our greatest wish to be involved in a journey that supports families in raising healthy and happy children.

What are our greatest assets

Our Board of Directors
Our volunteers
The families and children who entrust us with their friendship
OUR STAFF â€“ who are dedicated, enthusiastic, innovative, professional, caring, sensitive, supportive and they like to have fun.

Our centres and outreach programs offer both drop-in and pre-registered programs at no cost to you.

Please see our Program Description Binder for details about specific programs.

Programs and supports include:

Child focused programs that are parent/caregiver and child interactive.
Early learning and literacy programs
Parent education to specifically address the needs of parents/caregivers of infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers.
Support and resources to parents looking for child care.
Support and resources to home child care providers
Parenting programs and workshops that support parents/caregivers of young children in all aspects of early child development
Pre and Postnatal resources and supports
Speakers and professionals on a variety of literacy and other child development issues
Information and referrals to other early years programs and services in the community
Child monitoring is provided for many programs to reduce the barriers for parent participation
Emergency Baby Needs Cupboard
Used clothing cupboard
Outreach activities
Francophone programs and supports
So much more…

Core Services

EARLY LEARNING ACTIVITIES

The Ontario Early Years Centre Simcoe North offers early learning activities to provide children the opportunity to interact with their parents/caregivers and other children, and to develop important learning and problem-solving skills.

We strive to provide programs that:

Respond to and build on the interests of children
Promote physical health and well being
Offer opportunities for play-based learning
Foster healthy peer relationships
Build on social competence
Enhance emotional maturity
Increase language and cognitive skills
Develop communication and general knowledge skills

PARENT/CAREGIVER EDUCATION

The Ontario Early Years Centre â€“ Simcoe North offers parent/caregiver education on a variety of early years topics by facilitating one-to-one discussions, small group discussions and large group presentations, as well s providing lending resources. Parent/caregiver education focuses on healthy child development and on the skills and strategies necessary for parents and caregivers to promote childrenâ€™s readiness to learn and overall healthy development.

INFORMATION ON LOCAL COMMUNITY SERVICES

The Ontario Early Years Centre â€“ Simcoe North provides knowledgeable information about community resources, information about local early years programs and services and strives to help parents/caregivers connect with these services.

EARLY LITERACY

The Ontario Early Years Centre â€“ Simcoe North provides early literacy programming for children from birth to six, and their parents/caregivers. We strive to support parents/caregivers in knowing how to stimulate healthy language and literacy development. We work with the OEYC Early Literacy Specialist to ensure programming is effective.

OUTREACH SERVICES

The Ontario Early Years Centre â€“ Simcoe North offers outreach programs and services designed to promote broad community awareness and familiarity with our services and programs. We strive to reduce barriers for families to participate in our Early Years programs by providing programs in outreach locations and providing transportation (as possible within our budget constraints). Outreach programs assist in building community capacity, providing opportunities for families to network in their home community. Outreach programs provide access to parent/child resources available in the Ontario Early Years Centres.

VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT / COORDINATION

The Ontario Early Years Centre â€“ Simcoe North recruits recruit parents/caregivers and community members to participate in and contribute to the centres by volunteering to assist with early years programs and services. We support parents/caregivers and community members who are interested in volunteer opportunities for personal and professional development.

LINKAGES TO THE COMMUNITY AND LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDERS

The Ontario Early Years Centre â€“ Simcoe North works with other agencies to co-ordinate and integrate early years programs and services in the community, in order to further early years service delivery system integration. We strive to develop meaningful community partnerships.