Just after dinner is eaten and faces and hands are washed, Tessa Christopher tucks some wobbly toddlers and bright-eyed pre-schoolers in for the night at her 24-hour child care centre. Operating Maria's Early Chilldhood Enterprise in Petit Bourg for the past three years, Christopher, 26, her 43-year-old mother Maria and sister Patrice aged 21 are faced with the responsibility of looking after dozens of children at night, dropped off by parents who work the graveyard shift to put food on the table and pay their bills. Christopher's service forms part of a late night and overnight child care services, which has developed as a round-the-clock business in the community. Spaces at the centre are always filled and many parents looking for child care are sometimes turned away.
ABOVE: A child care provider tucks some of the children in bed.
Nurses, police officers, soldiers, doctors and security guards make up the vast majority of Christopher's clients base. For every child who stays at the centre from 6 am to 6 pm a monthly fee of $550 is charged. Parents who leave their children from 6 pm to 6 am are required to fork out $850. An additional $10 payment is requested for meals. Parents who leave their kids both days and night can negotiate a package. In 2007, when Christopher a mother of one, flung open the doors of her nursery at another location in Petit Bourg only one child showed up. "After a month another child joined us. And within three months we had between 20 kids," said Christopher, who refused to be photographs.
By then, Christopher said parents, especially women who raise their children single handedly were enquiring about a round the clock day care to meet their changing schedule and unusual hours faced on their jobs. In a bid to help, Christopher came up with a 24 hour childcare to help parents who did not want to burden their families with their children. "The parents were really in a bind. I felt obligated to assist. It had nothing to do with money. I just wanted to give a helping hand," Christopher insisted. With the little money she made from her pre-school, Christopher bought several beds and cribs to accommodate the children at nights in a three bedroom house, which she now rents for $6000 monthly.
ABOVE: Maria's Early Childhood Enterprise in Petit Bourg.
Today, Christopher boasts of educating and giving motherly care and attention to over 100 registered children between the ages of three months to five years. So far, only two of the 100 children have moved on to primary school. "Some of the children came from three-months-old and are still with us. This place is like home away from home for them. We are considered their second mothers." From as early as 6 am approximately 30 pre-schoolers are dropped of at the Eastern Main Road establishment. While some parents would pick up their children at 3 pm, Christopher said some are left to night over by parents who would have to do a night shift.
By 5 pm, Christopher said other children would start venturing into her centre with their pyjamas, milk bottles, food containers, toys, nursery rhyme books, pillows and blankets. Standing by to assist is a staff of 12 trained child care providers. "After dinner the children would wash up and then they are tucked into bed, where they would ask God to protect them and their loved ones." While Christopher said the job has brought much gratification and joy she also has to reach out to parents who are struggling in life. "We are not about bringing down parents if they are unable to pay their child's fee. We try to uplift them especially when they are faced with an uphill battle." Christopher said she not only preaches the centre's motto "Each of us matters to God" but practices it as well.