A New College: A New Early Childhood Care and Education

Christopher Melley, PhD, Adjunct Lecturer, OCU

Okinawa Christian University will soon have its own College of Early Childhood Care and Education. This is a wonderful development for the university and also for Okinawa. The establishment of the new college within the university represents the solid achievements of the Department of Early Childhood Care and Education (DECCE). This recent expansion also shows excellent judgment and discernment about developing one of the university’s successful and promising areas of specialization at precisely the time when more and more people need the assistance of well-trained undergraduates to staff existing facilities or to create their child-care facilities, after graduation. 

One of the ideas I have been nursing since coming to the university as a part-time English instructor five years ago relates to the early childhood education focus, and I would like to share this idea with you and the current core faculty of the DECCE. My own professional background in philosophy and English has nothing in common with early childhood education and development, so please consider my following suggestion from an outsider’s, that is, from an interested novice. Sometimes, outsiders can offer new and fresh views of things.

An OCU Child-Care Center

OCU and its campus represent an excellent opportunity to link theory and practice in the field of early childhood education. Though students complete internships at venues off campus, why not found a university child-care center, directly on campus?   Founding a child-care center on campus, as part of the new College of Early Childhood Education and Development would provide that link to practice (praxis) for undergraduates committed to that major. Having the day-care center directly on campus would give each new class of early childhood undergraduates a chance to apply what they have learned while they are still under the guidance of the college and its professors. The idea of campus-based child-care facilities is not new to Japan. On its Hongo Campus, Tokyo University houses its Hongo Keyaki Day Nursery; Nagoya University and Sophia University also have facilities. [http://kyodo-sankaku.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/nurseries/hongo/], As well, in Japan, companies, hospitals, and senior homes have also followed suit.

The university is relatively small, but large enough to consider having a child-care center for the young children of administrative staff, instructors and students with young children. Such a facility could also provide after-school services for the working adults and students with children. From this outsider’s perspective, OCU has all the major parts: 

1. new college devoted to early childhood education

2. proven track record of training undergraduates for early childhood education

3. steady influx of eager undergraduates in need not only of theoretical understanding but 

    also practical application of what they are learning

4. a refurbished and child-friendly section of the campus to house the new college

5. young children of administrators, staff, faculty, and students

Costs

To be sure, creating a suitable, modern childcare center will cost some money. After all, a safe and suitable area for the child-care center at OCU is required. Proper safety features as well as structural and interior design materials need to be integrated and should reflect the newest understanding of what young children would need and like for such a facility. Experts would not have to be hired for this, since the college has a host of experts in the department. The faculty could plan and develop the facility and work closely with the architect and company contracted to make any adjustments to that part of the existing university facility. As well, some thought needs to be given to any medical or nursing assistance for the young children. Presently, the university has a nursing staff-member on call; perhaps the existing nursing staff can expand to accommodate assistance to the new child-care center of OCU. Supplies for the child-care center would also represent part of the cost. As well, some additional money for administrative staffing would be needed for the director of the OCU child-care center.

Who would run the facility?

The college could hire a director for the child-care center; the director would develop activities and schedule interns, and work with professors on any integrated classes relating to the facility. Staffing for the child-care center would come primarily from the undergraduates; working at the center could be considered as an internship. If the program grows, then some paid positions could be added; these positions as well could go to highly motivated undergraduates. Recording-keeping and communication might also be done in-house; that is, existing administrative support could handle this part of the center, working in tandem with the director of the child-care center.

How would the facility be regulated?

The OCU child-care center would abide by all existing laws and regulations for early child-care centers in Japan, as well as any university regulations. The university attorney would advise the university of any particular requirements consistent with Japanese law. Liability questions should be thoroughly researched, in consultation with a legal firm that specializes in advising private educational facilities, particularly for young children.

Why does OCU need a child-care center?

Some administrators, staff, faculty and students have young children, from 2 months to 6 years old. Having a place for the young children nearby their parents is a healthy and welcome feature of a contemporary work and study environment. Rather than racing youngsters to this or that child-care facility, parents of the university could simply come to campus with their children. During lunch or break, staff, faculty, or students could look in on their children. When it is time to go home, parents need not rush off to another facility, but can collect their children and head home. Parents can be consoled to know that their children are nearby and being cared-for by highly motivated undergraduates who are also studying in the field of early childhood education and development.

Would parents pay a fee for enrolling their children in the OCU child-care center?  

The benefits so far outweigh the outlay described in this proposal that tuition could be at or somewhat below market rates for Okinawa Prefecture, to cover administrative costs.

Summary

More information is required to assess the current and projected need for a child-care center at the university. Some in-house canvassing of administration, staff, and student parent needs would be a way of generating some current information.  This proposal, though rough and uninformed, could provide the impetus for the administrators and professors of the newly formed college to discuss the possibility.

Having a childcare center at work or at university is not a new idea, but a growing and promising idea. OCU can use the occasion of the new College of Early Childhood Education and Care to best effect by establishing a child-care center as an integral part of the university and a service to all. This would represent a bold and practical step for the university, one that would benefit the image of the new college, its core faculty, employees and students of OCU, and of course, the young children who would attend.