Sunday, February 27, 2011

Mother's Choice Wee Care

While the kids were napping, we took some pictures of the facility and the staff. I'm not sure why Disney is the theme, but it might have something to do with donations. It's a cute little place. Welcome to our virtual tour. (that's me in the pink, you know, Chinese girl, about 5'4" not too slim, not too wide..., narrow eyes, black hair with caramel highlights)

This is our view of the Mid-levels above Central District. 

Automatic hand sanitizers are all over the facility, and we use them often. 

These are some of the staff at Wee Care. They've served as shift leaders for the other full time volunteers (us) and are the trainers for the new staff and volunteers. Left to right: Lee, Pui (think Poy), and Carman (with an a). These women work with the kids the most often and display incredible amounts of grace and patience with the kids. 
They think it's hilarious that we're trying to learn some Cantonese phrases. The other day, I told Josh, "Sik Fan!" "Eat Lunch!" and Pui thought it was so funny that she told another co-worker later that day. 




Carman is trying to teach me Cantonese. She is also the small group leader when we sing songs, read stories, and glue papers onto other papers (I'm sure there's some cool Kindergarten teacher term for this). She taught us the Gong Xi song for new years, because she had a little red packet that she had the kids pass around. 

We have our own laundry facility to wash the kids' clothes, bedding, outer garments, towels, wash cloths, and everything else. 

The "catering" comes from this kitchen. Thomas is a talented cook who has produced some tasty stir fries. He has two burners, onto which only one wok fits, an extra large rice cooker (about twice the size as the one we use in school), and about the same amount of work-top space as I have in my galley-style kitchen. He cooks for about 25 staff each time. Lunch and dinner. 

This is the announcement board for volunteers. Sylvia is looking at a recent email from some "forever families" with their kids, who had been at Wee Care. It is great that some of the families have written and shown the staff where the kids are and how they're doing. It is somewhat bittersweet, because the staff miss the children, but of course, they're in a much better situation now. 

We have several refrigerators all over for the various foods that the staff prepare for the kids and for the staff food. The foods are kept separate for food safety reasons. 

Prepared baby food is stored in this reach-in. The foods are prepared the same day as they are consumed, and leftovers are discarded. Foods are heated either in a immersion heater or in the microwave until boiling or nearly boiling -- a bit more than necessary but definitely safe! 

Kids have customized medicine and therapy packets. They do some oromotor therapy before they eat. Some of them have little rubber tubes they chew on, some have whistles or flutes they blow into, and some have little spongy brushes that are used to stimulate the tongue and teach them to swallow or move the tongue around the mouth. 

Signs for proper preparation, sanitation, or storage are posted all over. These signs are in the baby food preparation kitchenette. 

The baby food preparation kitchenette. Only certain staff prepare the food, so portion control and preparation are carefully monitored. 

Our refrigerators. 

The volunteer check-in station. You pick up an apron and sign. There is a sign discussing health -- if the volunteer does not feel well or has a sick family member, the staff asks that he/she goes home. 

Pui with a cleaning staff lady. These ladies are indispensible. They empty the laundry, the trash, the nappy bin. They also mop, wipe, sweep, and fix things after our kids have gone through. And not a word of complaint!

Each volunteer has a velcro tag that he or she wears to identify her/himself. 



Our nappy changing station is thoroughly equipped. 

We separate our rubbish into nappies and general rubbish. Nappies with BO in them are placed in mini plastic bags and then disposed. The large bin is for dirty clothing and towels. The bin on the right is for soiled clothing, etc. 

Our nappy selection. S-XL. We also have trainers. 

Shower accoutrements 

The kids' clothes are hung on their name-tags, which are attached to this bar. 



Certain kids are placed into these high chairs so we can feed them. The older ones sit at a short table with short chairs. We feed the younger ones in the high chairs and then the older ones at the table. 

The play room

We try to teach the kids sign language (ASL)



IEP materials (below)




IEP boxes are assigned to the children. We have a checklist which we go through for each kid. 

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