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The Gasyard Children's Centre has been developed in cooperation with Foyle Health & Social Services Trust, Save the Children Fund, local parents and community workers to provide quality facilities conceived to improve the life-chances of the present and future generations of young people within the Bogside and Brandywell. Research has found that 905% (224) of the local population are between the ages of 0 and 4.
Gasyard Children's Centre has been developed as an innovative, integral, independent and secure unit within the Gasyard Centre. The Children's Centre is seeking to complement current provision in the area by adding a much needed new and forward looking dimension of children's care and development.
The Children's Centre is a series of child and parent orientated projects which together will cater for the integrated educational, social, recreational and health needs of a significant and vulnerable section of the community. The benefits derived from the provision of such services are supported by evidence which clearly demonstrates that children who participate in a structered early-years programme, significantly improve all-round development. Parents will also benefit directly from programmes established within the Children's Centre.
The Children's Centre will have two separate spaces to reflect the age-ranges of children attending:
- Naíscoil na Gáslainne- an Irish language preschool playgroup- offering 24 places for 3-5 year olds with five morning sessions. This will be extended to afternoon sessions and will include an after-school club and parent's support sessions.
- The Family Care Project has been designed to provide 18 preschool places for children aged between 0-3 years. This will emulate the family home environment with living room cum play area and sleeping facilities for young babies.
 The physical structure of the Children's Centre will reflect a novel and imaginative character and will consist of new-built, high quality outdoor and indoor facilities, located within a landscaped park setting. Together, these elements will cater for a range of options for child-orientated initiatives. When combined, the provision of facilities within the Centre will substantially improve access to local services and increase opportunities for formal education and employment for local parents.
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