Whom Do We Serve

Caritas Child Care Service focuses on providing child care and early childhood education to children aged 2 to 6 from low income families and working parents regardless of their social background. It has extended its service to Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories with 9 nursery schools. Our Service has expanded to multiple-services by providing Integrated Programme Service for Mildly Disabled Children, Occasional Child Care Service and Extended Hours Child Care Service with a capacity of 1040 children.

Caritas Child Care Service emphasizes parental participation and encourages parents to adopt a more enlightened and caring approach to their children's development. Various interactive programmes are organised to advocate the education concept appropriate for child development and to strengthen the parent-child relationship.

Objectives

• To foster the balanced and full development of young children in social, intellectual, physical, moral, spiritual and aesthetic aspects with God's love
• To provide early childhood education and child care service to children aged 2-6 coming from low-income, single-parent and working parents families
• To advocate the concept of learning through play and initiate child-centered learning in order to develop young children's initiatives in learning, good living habits, self-confidence, abilities in self-discipline, self-care, problem-solving and adjustment to changing environment
• To foster parent-child relationship and to enhance parent-school collaboration

Achievements

• Established the first day nursery to provide welfare service of child care in 1962
• Advocated the child-oriented teaching modes of Small Group Learning and Activity Approach in 1970
• Established a Pre-school Education Material Reference Centre in 1971
• Commenced Integrated Programme Service for Mildly Disabled Children in 1978
• Implemented the adaptation programme for newly-enrolled children, children promoted to higher classes and primary school in 1980
• Developed Occasional Child Care Service in 1989
• Opened Parent-Child Resource Centre and implemented advanced teaching approaches in 1990
• "Story in Journey" and "The Mysterious Computer through The Eyes of Children" projects were approved by the Quality Education Fund in 1999
• Advocated creative thinking and project learning of young children in 2000
• Developed Extended Hours Child Care Service in 2000
• "Supporting Children's Learning and Integrating New Families through their Participation in School Improvement" project was approved by the Quality Education Fund in 2001
• Completed Service self-assessment mechanism in accordance with the Service Quality Standards of Social Welfare Department in 2002
• Published 4 children rhyme books that describing 12 animals in Chinese Zodiac in 2003.
• Continued to use authentic assessment and "Children Learning Portfolio" to record and evaluate children's learning progress in 2004
• A project named "Appreciation of Chinese Culture and Children Literature through Children's Rhymes" was approved by the Quality Education Fund in 2005
• 9 day nurseries renamed as nursery schools after harmonization of pre-primary services effective 1 September 2005
• Provide 'CATERP' (Children Advanced Talent and Education Related Programme) in 2006
• All Caritas Nursery Schools joined the Pre-school Education Voucher Scheme in 2007
  Aiming at early identification, intervention and prevention of family crisis at potential risk, a project ‘The Initial Stage, The Critical Stage-Stationing Nursery School Social work Service Pilot Project’ sponsored by the Lee Hysan Foundation commenced in 2007 at our 4 Nursery Schools-Tsui Lam, Yau Tong, Lei Yue Mun and Kai Yau with the collaboration of Caritas Jockey Club Integrated Service for Young People-Tak Tin
• Caritas Nursery School – Ta Kwu Ling had won four Outstanding Awards – ‘Environmental Management’, ‘Environmental Education’, ‘Parents’ Participation in Environmental Activities’ and ‘Environmental Infrastructure’ of the 6th & 7th Hong Kong Green School Award (Pre-school Category) in 2008 and 2009 respectively
• 9 Caritas Nursery Schools underwent the Quality Review conducted by the Education Bureau in 2008 and 2011 and will be eligible for redeeming voucher continuously after 2012-13
• With the support from the BOCHK “Caring Hong Kong – A Heart Warming Campaign”, a project named “Love Hong Kong, Love Family, Love Children: Stationing Nursery School Social Work Service” commenced in 2011 at our 6 Nursery Schools in Kowloon East and Northern New Territories in collaboration with Caritas Youth and Community Service and Caritas Family Service which aimed at early identification and prevention of families’ crisis
• With the support from the Hung Hing Ying and Leung Hau Ling Charitable Foundation, a project named “Start from the Early Age – Learning and Growth Enhancement Programme for Young Children” in collaboration with Caritas Jockey Club Integrated Service for Young People ¬ Tak Tin commenced in 2012 at our 5 Nursery Schools-Tsui Lam, Yau Tong, Lei Yue Mun, Kai Yau and Lions Club of Hong Kong (Pacific)
• In response to the changes of the society and to tackle the diversified needs of children and their families, child-centred and family-focussed would be the direction for service development in 2013 and after
• Joint-school Parent-child Interactive Dramas “Love and Harmony” and “The World is Full of Love” were performed in 2014 and 2015 respectively in advocating the harmonious relationships in families
• With the supports from various grants, the Stationing Nursery School Social Work Service was extended to our 7 nursery schools in 2016 in different districts, including Hong Kong West and East, Kwun Tong, Wong Tai Sin, Tseung Kwan O and Northern New Territories.
• 9 Caritas Nursery Schools joined the Free Quality Kindergarten Education Scheme in 2017