#WeAreWesley – Wesley’s Infant Care Team Builds Bonds and Impact Lives

In Hamilton’s Beasley neighbourhood, Wesley is providing high-quality licensed childcare for a number of families in our community, serving a diverse population. Wesley’s investment in the Beasley neighbourhood provides amazing care and developmental support for children, giving parents the opportunity to work or go back to school.  

Meet Kathleen Correia, Kayla Coburn and Romina Benavides. They are part of the Wesley Infant Care Team at Dr. Davey Child Care Centre in Beasley. 

They are early Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs) who take on many different roles. Their days involve stepping in as caregivers, educators, and support systems for the young children in their care. They also provide guidance for families and support them on a daily basis. 

Over a day, the team members will provide opportunities for play and engagement, nutritious snacks and lunches, attend to their personal care needs, and go for community walks. 

Over the course of a year, these staff encourage and support the infants to grow and reach milestones—like when they start to walk and talk. They become a big part of their lives.  

The journey to becoming an RECE looks different for everyone, and Kathleen, Romina, and Kayla had varying experiences. That said, each of their journeys led to working at Wesley and experiencing personal growth that has helped them along the way. 

They build strong bonds with the infants. As Kathleen sees the infants grow, her heart keeps growing as well. She knows how rewarding and uplifting it feels to see their progress. Kathleen always wanted to have her own childcare facility and found she loved working with children, so she made it her career and became an RECE. Every child starts with their own book, according to her. Every day, every child writes another page of their book. Helping them write their story is where Kathleen’s passion comes from. 

Through her own experience, Kathleen finds she’s become more patient and straightforward in the way she communicates. By building those bonds with the infants and their families, she feels herself being a better person. 

Romina is proud of the team’s dedication to helping raise kind and generous human beings. When she first started studying in the field, she didn’t feel as connected to the job as she hoped she would. When she became a mother and participated in her own therapeutic journey, her personal growth made her realize how much she loved the job once she discovered she already had the tools she needed to succeed. Romina realized the huge impact she could make on children’s lives and her passion for her career has been growing since.  

Since moving from Chile, Romina has adapted to a different culture and learned a lot. She also feels she has become a better human being working in this role, becoming more humble, understanding, and patient. 

Kayla grew up watching her mom work in childcare. She saw the difference she made and wanted to be just like her. When she entered her first job supporting a child on the spectrum, she was nervous at first. Then, she saw the child picking up what she was teaching. “I am doing what I’m supposed to be doing,” she thought. “I’m doing a good job. This is what I want to do,” Kayla realized from that moment onwards. 

Feeling in her element as an RECE, Kayla has been able to be more confident in her skills in such a comfortable and safe environment. She works hard to make sure the children in their care feel safe and comfortable too. 

Being at Dr. Davey, they’ve become a family – with each other and the children. The team spends so much time together. They support each other by communicating and listening. “You have to be able to try to put [yourself] in the other person’s shoes,” Romina said. 

They bond and work together in different styles, taking on various roles. Kathleen points out how the children see and feel their energy as well, knowing that their positive team dynamic reaches far beyond staff interactions. She sees the diversity around her. They all come from different backgrounds, and they celebrate that diversity. 

Every day, Kayla feels their togetherness and how well they work together. Parents notice too, often showing their appreciation.  

The team members also see the impact they have on the community, with community members stopping to say hi as they’re out for daily walks with the children. They feel good about being able to refer families to other Wesley programs and supports and are proud to tell people where they work. 

When they come to Dr. Davey, they bring their passion. The RECEs know the daily challenges and how hard the career can be. “It’s not easy, but if you love it, you’ll really love it,” Kathleen said. 

Even amid those tough times, they feel joy and happiness. Kayla sees the infants saying hi or blowing kisses. That brings a smile to her face. One day, Romina was having a rough day when a child gave her a long hug. She felt that in her heart. A hug. A smile. Those little things remind her what she and her colleagues do to impact these young lives. When children say hello to her with such enthusiasm, she knows how important she is to them. 

Without incredible RECEs like Kathleen, Romina, Kayla, and the whole team at Dr. Davey, Wesley childcare programming wouldn’t be possible. They are a huge part of Wesley’s mission to decrease barriers and increase opportunities for people in our communities.  

We are proud of the quality childcare provided by Wesley Registered Early Childhood Educators in multiple locations in Hamilton, including the Beasley neighbourhood in Hamilton’s North End. We work closely with families in need of subsidies or other support so that children can grow and learn in a loving environment, and parents can focus on work, school, health-related needs, and so much more so their families can thrive.