CatholicCare Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains’ Mamre Crèche is a unique and integral part of the ongoing support offered to Sudanese refugee families. The service provides assistance and a quality educational program based on the Early Learning Years Framework (Belonging, Being and Becoming) for children aged up to five years of age.
The program includes school readiness, early literacy, and numeracy programs based on children’s interests and developmental stages.
Children’s emerging interests are identified and investigated through a variety of experiences such as books, drawing, construction, dramatic play, and experiments.
Children are given opportunities to make decisions and solve problems, resulting in the development of a sense of self and higher self-esteem.
Children are also encouraged to undertake new challenges in all areas of development including self-help skills and are praised for trying new things. Based at CatholicCare’s Mamre House, the Mamre Crèche allows the children in their care to develop their autonomy by allowing them to explore and gain independence in a safe environment.
The service provides the children with opportunities to have an input into the experiences that are provided so they feel that learning about their world and the diversity of the community they live in is very important.
Learning about people, animals and the environment is integrated into everyday teaching which helps them develop an understanding of who they are and their place in the world.
The children are cared for by a dedicated, qualified team, supported by a committed group of volunteers.
The children and families enrolled in Mamre Crèche are from a Sudanese refugee background. Their mothers attend English and Citizenship classes at CatholicCare’s Mamre House, run by Nepean Community College. Many of these women would not be able to participate in these classes and further their education if the Crèche was not available.
Many families have been using this service for several years and they have taught siblings. As a result, they have developed a rapport with many families over the years and have observed positive development in the progression of the families’ communication skills and the children’s overall development – particularly their language, social and emotional skills.
The preschool children who attend are prepared and supported for the transition to school so that their strengths can be built upon by following their interests and by providing positive, fun learning experiences.
Toddlers and babies attending the service have their social and emotional needs met, as well as experiences that enable them to learn and grow through play.
The children will thrive with love and security within an interesting home-like environment.
All children feel respected and are given equal opportunities to learn in a safe environment.
The early years of a child’s life are such an important time for learning. By making learning interesting and fun, children will initiate the process and show a desire to experiment and explore, therefore setting the foundations for learning in later years.
It is with thanks to your kind-hearted compassion and faithful support of our ministries that we can give Sudanese refugee families a positive, empowering start to their life in Australia; and help our brothers and sisters in need.
We are deeply grateful for your support and accompaniment.
Mamre Crèche
Mamre Crèche is run by CatholicCare and is based at CatholicCare’s Mamre House, 181 Mamre Road, Orchard Hills. The creche is government-funded.
The service currently operates Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10 am till 2pm, during school terms.
The program enables these women to attend English and Citizenship classes at CatholicCare’s Mamre House, run by Nepean Community College.
They can focus on learning, safe in the knowledge that their children are receiving excellent care and early education.
With thanks to CatholicCare Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains.
