Special-needs daycare disappointed with lack of government funding

The executivedirector of the Wee Care Developmental Centre in Halifax is disappointed her facility isn't receiving an increase in funding from the provincial government.

Wee Care, founded 43 years ago, isa daycare facility specializingin helping children with special needs. In fact, executive director Dawn MacFarlanesays almost half of the 72 kids at the facilityhave special needs.

"We offer physiotherapy, occupational therapy and music therapy," MacFarlane said. "We have a wide range of training within the staff we have."

The centre was founded in 1973 as a place for children with cerebral palsy, and its mandate was broadened the followingyear.MacFarlane says securing government funding has always been a contentious issue.

The centre has a $1-millionannual budget and they rely heavily on donations, fundraisers and volunteer contributions.

While government won't commit to more funding for Wee Care they do plan to meet this year with organizations who provide care for special-needs children to try tofind better ways to support them.

Parents laud centre

Several parents had kind things to say about the centre on Wednesday.

Mackenzie Joy, 11, was born with a chromosomal abnormality and went through the Wee Care program.

Her mother says the people at the facility made a huge impact on her daughter's life.

"When she actually arrived here at 18 months she was not walking," said a tearful Renena Joy. "She wouldn't be thehappy little girl she is today without everything that was done here to start."

Heather Langley'sfour-year-old daughter Lucy has mental and physical disabilitiesandhasshown great improvement from weekly therapy sessions at Wee Care.

"When she was at the IWK receiving physio and occupational therapy we had onehour every sixweeks for the combined therapy and that was in a room that wasn't her natural environment," Langley said. "When she's being taught how to feed herself [here]it's sitting at her lunch table with her friends in her chair where she's comfortable."