Child Care in Cambridge for over 70 years
YWCA Child Care
Our Child Care Centres
Our licensed child care centres, located throughout Cambridge, offer a variety of programs, from toddler to school-age, ages 12 months to 12 years. Full-time and part-time options are available. Each Centre provides its own mix of options, and all programs are fully licensed by the Ontario Ministry of Education. Our holistic approach to programs makes our centres great spaces for children with a variety of needs. We use support from community agencies and have our own in-house inclusion facilitator that supports all children’s behavioural needs and provides strategies for a successful child care experience.
Please contact the centre supervisors listed below for more information or join our waitlist through OneList Waterloo Region.
Note: YWCA Cambridge is enrolled in the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care plan (CWELCC). This plan aims to reduce parent fees for parents and guardians of children under the age of SIX, while expanding access to high-quality child care spaces for more families. For more information about CWELCC and what it means for families: click here.
Visit OneList Waterloo Region To join the waitlist
DigiBot Parent Portal
Read everything you need to know about our child care programming in our handbook
Thank you to our incredible partners and supporters
Thank you to our partners in providing high quality programming.
Blue Heron
Programs offered:
Toddler, Preschool, Before and After Kindergarten, Before and After School, Break Care
Hours: 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
749 Grand Valley Drive (Preston)
N3H 2S3
519-653-0746
Supervisor: Susan Mathers
s.mathers@ywcacambridge.ca
Assistant Supervisor: Katrina O’Brien
k.obrien@ywcacambridge.ca
St. Elizabeth
Programs offered:
Toddler, Preschool, Before and After Kindergarten, Before and After School, Break Care
Hours: 6:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
50 Adler Drive (Hespeler)
N3C 4B7
519-654-9366
Supervisor: Gillian Scott
g.scott@ywcacambridge.ca
Assistant Supervisor: Kimberly Wallace (Interim)
Laura Einwechter l.einwechter@ywcacambridge.ca (returning to role)
St Margaret
Programs offered:
Toddler, Preschool, Before and After Kindergarten, Before and After School, Break Care
Hours: 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
210 Cowan Boulevard (Clemens Mills area)
N1T 1V4
519-622-6773
Supervisor: Kim Whalen
k.whalen@ywcacambridge.ca
Assistant Supervisor: Simmi Saini
s.saini@ywcacambridge.ca
Woodland Park
Programs offered:
Toddler, Preschool, Before and After Kindergarten, Before and After School, Break Care
Hours: 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
555 Ellis Road (Hespeler)
N3C 2V4
226-807-0711
Supervisor: Fatma Elhefney
f.elhefney@ywcacambridge.ca
Assistant Supervisor: Nazish Mian
n.mian@ywcacambridge.ca
Philosophy
Child Care Philosophy
For over 70 years, YWCA Cambridge has been a leader in offering innovative child care in Cambridge.
Our goal is to foster a strong, positive self-image within your child. Each child develops skills in choice-making, problem solving and socialization. We strive to enhance both natural curiosity and creativity, and are dedicated to the concept of learning through play.
While your child enjoys his or her time at the centre, our focus will be on helping all the children reach their full potential and on providing a sound base for future learning.
Approach to Learning
Reggio Emilia Approach to Learning
YWCA Cambridge is committed to the Reggio Emilia approach to learning. This world renowned philosophy invites children to examine the things that ignite their imagination and encourages the children to explore, investigate, and discover their world in a meaningful way.
Sharing ideas and theories, getting excited about what happens next and studying what they are interested in builds a child’s self-esteem and critical thinking abilities. Through careful observation and listening, the teachers create documentation panels or books using photos, sketches, conversations and the children’s art.
As the children’s learning unfolds it is captured in their many expressive creations using various art mediums such as clay, paint, sketching, 3-D creations, drawings, collage, music, drama and creative movement.
Accessibility Support
Accessible Programs
YWCA Cambridge has an active partnership with KW Habilitation and the Waterloo Region’s Special Needs Resourcing Collaborative (SNRC). Children with identified special needs are connected with Resource Aids and other professionals, including our highly-trained internal Inclusion Facilitator, to provide needed programming and support.
What you can expect:
- Mentorship and training for staff by our Inclusion Facilitator
- Support for children in emotional regulation and resiliency development, social skills, etc.
- Positive behaviour supports
Nurturing Educators
YWCA Child Care Staff
Competent, caring and nurturing Educators are partners in learning with children and parents. Our child care centres are staffed in accordance with Ministry of Education regulations by warm, caring, Registered Early Childhood Educators and other highly qualified professionals trained in Standard First Aid and Infant/Child CPR. Our child care staff participate in yearly professional development activities and our Cooks and Supervisors maintain a current Safe Food Handler Certificate.
What you can expect:
- Highly skilled, screened and trained staff
- Child-centred and inclusive learning environment
- Compassionate care for each and every child
YWCA LINC Preschool Program
The LINC Preschool Program is run in partnership with Conestoga College. Children of a parent attending the Conestoga College LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada) Program in Cambridge are eligible to attend.
Please contact Conestoga College HERE for more information about this program.
The LINC Preschool program is a high quality, licensed learning environment committed to the unique needs of children whose second language is English. The LINC Preschool focuses on healthy child development and early learning and provides parenting resources. Using the philosophy of Reggio Emilia, the program is play-based concentrating on the whole child.
Early exposure to programs in English reduces the language barrier in junior and senior kindergarten: a key element in student success. The Preschool Staff support the use of English in their curriculum and engage the parents to assist with simple tasks and directions. Songs, stories and computer activities are delivered in English.