Educare Preschool

Educare is a unique inclusive non-profit preschool founded by Kim Farrell in 1996, providing early intervention, family supports and services to families within the RMWB.

Educare offers high quality Early Intervention programs and services to children who are 3-5 years old and their families. We also offer community programming. Special needs programming is available to children 2.8 years – 5 years old. Educare serves children and families to enhance supports and build strong educational foundations. Our programs provide opportunities and experiences to support:

Fine motor/Gross motor development, Literacy skills, Learning differences and abilities, Behaviour challenges, Communication skills, Coping skills, Social and emotional well-being, and Sensory regulation. 

Educare offers programs that incorporate a holistic approach ensuring that children are supported in the many areas of childhood development. They are supported socially, physically, intellectually, creatively, emotionally, and culturally. Educare values relationship building and family wellness; it takes a village!

Educare’s programming and services enhances and supports the development of children in the following areas:

- We have the ability to identify children with sensory processing disorders; refer them to an Occupational Therapist, who gives us support as we provide therapy.

- We perform screening, and testing to identify children with speech and/or language delays, and provide specialized programming with our own Registered Speech Language Pathologist.

- We provide various language programs; including inferencing and story skills, ESL and individual/group treatments and sessions.

- We provide a language rich environment (with individual speech program to mild/moderate children).

- We offer a Gross Motor Skills Development Program (Funded through a donation from Kinsmen Club of Fort McMurray). Taking part in gross motor activities has a positive impact on school readiness skills such as reading, writing, and sitting posture; all fundamentals of school success.

- We value cultural differences and incorporate traditions, language, and music into our programming; supporting our families, communities and cultures. It is important for Educare to continue to incorporate Indigenous Culture into our programming.

- We provide a Social Skills Program, which prepares children with the skills needed for personal safety, relationship building, empathy and compassion towards others. 

- We provide Pre-Printing Skills (fine motor skills), through our Program Enhancement Component.

- We provide opportunities for family involvement, volunteering, and events. These opportunities build strong family relationships and community spirit.

- We introduce music (patterns, sounds, rhythm and rhyme, and poetry) through our culturally diverse music program.

- We run parent workshops throughout the year, to build on skills and social connections.

- We provide high quality early childhood development programs that promote effective communication, builds relationships, supports values, promotes diversity, explores feelings, and stimulates higher levels of thinking.

- Our Family Resource Consultant provides opportunity to offer supports, social connections, parental supports, mandatory home visits, and is a valuable liaison between Educare, families and community agencies.

- Our Early Education Consultant, a position provided through partnership with Children’s Autism Services of Edmonton (CASE), also conducts Home Visits. These visits are specifically geared to families of children with special needs, to support families in reaching their children’s goals throughout the year (speech/language, gross/fine motor, social skills, etc.)