Case Study: Shantona Creche
Creche worker: Mina J
Background - Mum joined the Shantona Crèche Mums and Tots group this year to keep her daughter busy. Whilst mum was in the group she heard about the parenting course at the Shantona Centre and wanted to join that course as well. Being new to this country and as English not being her first language mum struggled and without any of her family members or friends to surround her mum felt very lonely and also her daughter had nowhere to play as her child didn’t have any friends.
Approach - Mum attending the parenting course this has helped her improve her English by talking to others and also mum learned how to use the activities on the course to interact with her child at home. This course gives the opportunity to parents to enhance new skills and make friends.
Mum thinks Shantona Crèche is a wonderful place for parents like me and my daughter. It has given me a place to learn new skills and share ideas in parenting skills I feel so confident around the other parents where my views and thoughts were taken in consideration. With the feedback given back from mum she has mentioned the crèche staff who were working there were bilingual and this made her feel more at home and my daughter felt very secure and open around them as they were speaking the same language as me. Mum finds the crèche staff co-operative, communicative and very warm and friendly. Her child is learning and developing well in the crèche. Mum has noticed child is more confident around other children and will ease into nursery at school.
Having a crèche facility at the Shantona Crèche has provided more parents like me in and around the community to enrol ourselves on courses.
Outcome - Mums English has improved really well and she is very patient with her child now. Mum is able to communicate well with her child now and is able to provide activities according to his needs which she had learned through the parenting course. Mum is very grateful to the centre that there was a crèche also provided for me and my child. If the crèche was not running I would have not been able to attend this life changing course. Child is more confident and is prepared for the nursery.
Health Project
We provide services to the most hard to reach communities that do not otherwise have access to facilities until they develop severe or serious health problems. This year we have provided services to the community that improve well-being, promotes healthy choices, gives access to health services and ensures equality in local society.
