Pulling together successfully in a happy environment
BRENDA TARRANT began a sessional pre- school from her home in 1992 with just five children and has grown that business over the years into what is now a key community service.
Over the period, the HSE approached her to expand the business as there was a great need for a childcare facility in the area and, subsequently the numbers at the pre-school have grown substantially.
Meanwhile, Brenda returned to college by night to improve her qualifications in childcare, while at the same time she and husband Tom built a state of the art childcare facility which incorporates children from four months right up to 13 years of age.
“Myself and the great team of staff (mostly local women) that we have working for us pulled together and we all worked very hard to build our reputation as a safe nurturing and stimulating environment for the children that live within the surrounding areas of Coachford,” says Brenda.
“We currently have over 100 families per week using our childcare facility, which couldn’t be done without the support of the local community and of course the great panel of staff we have at Coachford Childcare Centre.”
Currently the childcare centre is running to capacity but Brenda would like to expand their after-school care/out of school care service in the future.
They also currently have plans to expand the ECCE Free Pre-school by offering an afternoon session commencing in January 2017 in order to meet the childcare demands in the area.
“Coachford Childcare is centrally located and once Coachford has the new sewerage treatment plant it requires I feel the area will develop and we will be there to meet their childcare needs,” says Brenda.
“This business was a ‘cottage industry’ which we nurtured and grew over 25 years despite the mother of all recessions. Both myself and Tom are extremely hard-working ‘natives’ and are very proud of the service we provide in the area in which we live in.
“I always had a great love and understanding of children and am always striving to do my part to help children become competent, confident children in a safe, happy environment.”