1st Catholic ECEC service catering for newborns in Sydney archdiocese officially opened

The first Catholic Early Childhood Centre catering for newborns in the Sydney Archdiocese has been officially opened by Sydney Bishop Daniel Meagher who was joined by parish priest Father Paul Smithers and Aboriginal elder Uncle Ralph Townsend to bless St Joseph’s Preschool and Long Day Care at Rosebery.

While the service has been in operation since January, the formal opening ceremony was delayed by COVID-19 related restrictions. 

The service aims to meet the “unprecedented demand” for care in the inner-city of Sydney through its state-of-the-art centre which embraces the Reggio Emilia tenants of the environment as the third teacher, and features raked ceilings, exposed timber doors and walls, and open and airy play rooms, connecting children visually and physically to the outside natural environment.

All the toys in the service are wooden, which compliments the timber used in the building. 

Father Smithers said the new centre offers a vital bridge to deepening faith. “Fostering life-giving connections with God and one another is vital for the renewal of our parish,” he said.

“What a great decision it was to build this new place of learning that supports families and encourages a connection to the parish.”

Sydney Catholic Early Childhood Services has plans to open two more ECEC services in 2023, in the Sydney suburbs of Caringbah and Marsfield.

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