New Aboriginal Head Start centre to offer childcare to Langley Indigenous children

April 5, 2022

A long-awaited program for young Indigenous children in Langley area was opened Monday with a joyful ceremony on the grounds of Parkside Centennial Elementary in Aldergrove.

Although the new Aboriginal Head Start is on school grounds, it was shepherded from idea to opening, and will be run by, the Lower Fraser Valley Aboriginal Society (LFVAS).

“We’re very excited,” said LFVAS CEO Katie Pearson at the opening ceremony.

The society got approval for a local Aboriginal Head Start program back in 2018, but it has been a long process of getting the centre up and running.

“Aboriginal Head Start is about more than just child care, it’s about building communities and supporting families,” said Pearson.

The new centre will supply childcare to 24 children aged three to five years old, up until they transition into the school district.

It’s free childcare, which is a big help for any family, but Pearson emphasized that the goal is not just to support the kids.

There will be a heavy emphasis on parental support and involvement, she said.

There will also be elders on site some of the time to work with families, along with with part-time Aboriginal infant development workers who will be watching out for any kids who seem to have a higher level of needs as they grow.

Those are in addition to the approximately six full-time staff and administrator who will be there every day, said Pearson.

Source: Langley Advance Times