EarlyON Child and Family Centres offer free programs for children, their parents and caring adults. EarlyON Centres are places to engage and connect with others in the community and feel a sense of belonging. Qualified EarlyON Professionals will be on-site who can provide support, advice, and helpful resources. The friendly environment fosters positive learning where children, parents and caring adults can learn, play, laugh, and be curious.
Accessing the right supports for you and your family is important
Programs are available at our EarlyON Child and Family Centres from pre-conception, prenatally and beyond. We know that children need much more than just immediate families to grow up strong. Our programs and services provide your whole family with opportunities to play, explore, discover and learn in a supportive environment, free of cost. For more information on EarlyON Programs visit the Program Descriptions page.
Registration
PLEASE NOTE: In our continued efforts to help curb the spread of COVID-19, only families who reside in Waterloo Region will be permitted to attend in-person EarlyON programming at any EarlyON | Waterloo Region location. This action, in addition to many of the existing safety protocols we have in place, is being taken in an effort to keep our community safe. We continue to welcome families within and outside of Waterloo Region to register for our online programming.
During Your Visit
When You Arrive
You will notice physical distancing signs, floor markers, directions and reminders that will be posted at the entrance to the EarlyON. An EarlyON team member wearing gloves, eye protection and a mask will welcome your family.
Questions your family will be asked:
- Do you have a KEyON account?
- Have you pre-registered everyone you are bringing with you to the EarlyON today in KEyON?
- Please Note: Only participants who are pre-registered in KEyON will be able to attend.
- Do you have all the required items with you (ie. diaper bag, phone, keys, etc.)?
- Please Note: Once you have entered the EarlyON location, exiting and re-entry will not be permitted.
- Did you bring your masks today?
- Please Note: Masks are required for adults and children aged 5 and up. For children ages 2-4, masks are recommended.
- Are you the parent or guardian of each of the children you are bringing with you today?
- Please Note: If you are not, permission from the parent or guardian will be required. This form is in the process of being created and will be posted here.
COVID-19 Screening
As per Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services Guidelines, all adults and children who enter an EarlyON Child and Family Centre location or attend an outdoor EarlyON Mobile Delivery program are required to successfully pass a COVID-19 screen prior to entry or participation.
Please Note: Only participants who have passed the screening will be permitted entry.
Welcome to Your New EarlyON
After these steps are complete, you will be invited to enter the EarlyON or participate in the outdoor EarlyON programming and will be asked to use your KEyON key tag to sign in the participants you pre-registered to attend. If you have not yet received your key tag, an EarlyON team member will support you in linking a key tag to your KEyON account to complete the sign-in process.
If you have brought items with you, please ask the EarlyON team members where storage is available for coats, wet shoes, purses, diaper bags and other miscellaneous materials.
An EarlyON team member, will welcome you and share more information about the EarlyON experience at that location.
Visit our Find a Drop In page for site specific videos to help prepare you for your visit.
Supervision
Our EarlyON locations are set up in a way that promotes caregivers to be engaged with their children. We ask that you actively supervise your child and engage in their learning/play experiences while at the EarlyON to ensure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable visit. In order to ensure physical distancing expectations are met, we ask that you please keep your children with you at all times. Please speak to one of our staff if you need any support.
Health and Well-being
Nutrition
As per our Region of Waterloo Public Health guidelines, outside food will not be permitted inside EarlyON Child and Family Centre locations in Waterloo Region.
We continue to encourage families to breastfeed/chest feed anytime, anywhere, at EarlyON | Waterloo Region.
If your family would like to bring drinks into the EarlyON, we ask that they be labelled with your name and in sealed containers with closeable lids, such as bottles, sippy cups and reusable water bottles.
Illness
If your family is experiencing any of the following, you will not be permitted entry into an EarlyON location.
- Fever or temperature of 37.8 degrees Celsius or greater.
- Cough
- Difficulty breathing
- Sore throat or difficulty swallowing
- Loss of taste or smell
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or abdominal pain
- Runny nose or nasal congestion
- Red eyes
- Not feeling well, tired or sore muscles
- Chills or headache
- Lethargy
If you or your child show signs of any of the symptoms listed above, you will be asked to leave the EarlyON.
Children who are too ill to play, to attend childcare, or to attend school are too ill to come to the EarlyON Child and Family Centres.
If you or your child do not pass the COVID-19 screen and/or you become ill while attending EarlyON, we will work together with the Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services to determine the next steps for your family, our team and the other families attending the EarlyON.
Our EarlyON Child and Family Centre team members are following rigorous cleaning and sanitizing guidelines before during and after your visit to the EarlyON. If you have questions about our cleaning or sanitizing practices, please ask us.
Closures
Our EarlyON Child and Family Centres are in the process of reopening. At this time our locations remain closed. For updates on locations as they reopen, visit the reopening page.
We are closed for all major holidays and for various Professional Development dates throughout the year. Please check our website or follow us on Facebook @EarlyONWR, Instagram @EarlyONWR or Twitter @EarlyONWR for information on upcoming closures.
If our EarlyON Child and Family Centres will be closed due to inclement weather or unexpected circumstances the information will be posted on our Facebook @EarlyONWR, Instagram @EarlyONWR and Twitter @EarlyONWR pages and families who have pre-registered to attend a location will be contacted by EarlyON team members using the information you provided at the time of your pre-registration. Please note that if school buses are cancelled due to inclement weather, our Mobile Delivery locations in that area will be cancelled as well.
Photo Consent
It is important to us that the photos and pictures in our environment reflect the families that attend. Photos may be taken at any of our locations to be used in promoting EarlyON Waterloo Region services via print or digital marketing. If you wish to consent, please fill out our release form for yourself and/or your child here: EarlyON Waterloo Region Photo Release Form
If you wish to remove your consent, please email earlyyearsinfo@ckw.ymca.ca
If you wish to update your photo consent by adding another child, please complete the form again with the information for the additional child.
Feedback
- Speak to a staff member while you are on site
- Email us!
- Subscribe to our e-news which includes participant feedback surveys throughout the year
Updates
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