About Little Owl
Little Owl & Friends Early Learning Centres are located in the beautiful communities of Fairfield and Oaklands. We have our licensed infant and toddler program on Richardson St and another licensed infant and toddler program program on Victor St. Both of our locations have exceptional outdoor spaces with plenty of room for the children to explore.
Little Owl is committed to supporting the whole child by focusing on high quality indoor and outdoor learning environments, forming partnerships with families, by implementing positive behaviour support in our programs, and by offering free early childhood education professional development courses for all staff members.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do you accept the Affordable Child Care Benefit (subsidy)?
A: We do! It is up to the parent/guardians to check on the BC Government website to see if this is something your family qualifies for. If so, we can sign the paperwork to apply once your child is offered a space.
Q: Are you opted in to the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative (CCFRI)?
A: Yes, we are!
Q: What are your fees?
A: Our full time fees with the new fee reduction applied is $875 per month. These fees are for April 2024 and on, but are subject to change annually pending approval from the government programming. If your family qualifies for the Affordable Child Care Benefit (subsidy), the fee is reduced further based on what amount you qualify for.
Q: Do you offer part time?
A: At the moment, we only accept full time registrations at both locations.
Q: Do you offer earlier drop off or later pick up?
A: No. Our hours are based on staffing and they are not flexible.
Q: What are the program sizes?
A: We have 8 infants and toddlers at Richardson St with two staff. We also have 8 infants and toddlers at Victor St, also with two staff. We have a float staff that works between the two programs and a small, established sub list.
Q: Does the centre owner work in the programs?
A: Heather oversees all of the paperwork, registrations, helps out in the programs, and coordinates the schedule of the team members. She is available for a chat via e-mail or phone during business hours.
Q: What does the daily routine look like?
A: Our daily schedules run with an emergent curriculum, which is based off the needs and interests of the group. We offer free play, art and sensory activities, science experiments, circle time with songs, felt stories, and learning games, and plenty of outdoor play opportunities. Little Owl has a little library with hundreds of books for each location.
Q: What discipline methods are used at Little Owl?
A: We offer a gentle approach when it comes to discipline. We don't believe in time out, but rather a "time in." Discipline is age appropriate with redirection, positive guidance, and working as a team. Feelings are valid and we want to support each child in our programs by building trust and a strong attachment so that they feel safe and secure in the environment. Our motto is “connection before correction.”
Q: Are food and drink provided? Are there any allergies?
A: We do not supply any food (if shared snacks happen, parents are aware in advance) but we have healthy snacks on hand if needed. We always have clean drinking water available and regularly offer water bottles to the children. A notice will be sent out if we need to modify any programs due to allergies.
Q: Is there a wait list? How will I know where I am on the wait list?
A: As of May 2024, our wait list is now closed. We do not respond to wait list inquiries due to the high volume of emails. We will also be posting on the Facebook group, "Childcare in Greater Victoria 2.0" to advertise the space if emails are not responded to within 24 hours. The space will NOT be guaranteed - we need to meet after the space has been offered to mutually decide if we are a good fit for each other and if the program will work for the child.