Crèche and Montessori unit is celebrating 10 years in business

THE LITTLE Saints Crèche and Montessori in Rathcoole is celebrating 10 years in business this month.

The Crèche and Montessori, which is on Main Street in Rathcoole, currently employs 16 staff and caters to the needs of 80 children.

Gwen Hughes, the manager and owner of Little Saints, who has 26 years’ experience working in childcare, told The Echo that the biggest changes she had noticed in childcare since she started her career are new regulations such as the Aistear and Síolta curriculum, which focuses on children learning through play.

“The biggest changes in the crèche itself are new regulations – there are different programmes now and they’re much better than before.

“The regulations are much better for the kids and the staff.”

The crèche caters to a range of parents in the surrounding areas, including Wicklow and Kildare, who commute to work in Dublin using the N7/M7 route.

When asked about the best experience she’s had in her job, Ms Hughes said: “The best experience is meeting new kids and new parents, and seeing the staff work so well with the kids,” while adding that the children are the best part of her job.

Now, with 10 years’ business behind them, Little Saints has seen many children who went to the crèche go on to primary school.

Ms Hughes told The Echo that “seeing the children progressing and going on to school” is one of the highlights of her work.

Ms Hughes added that when she sees children who went to Little Saints and who are in school now that “it’s a mad feeling, some of them we’ve had here since they were three or four months old and now they’re like little adults.

“They still remember [the staff from Little Saints] when they see us.”

Little Saints caters for children from four months old to 12 years old. More details are available online at www.littlesaintscrèche.ie