Raising the Roost: Rielly Roost Childcare Centre
With a growing demand for childcare, combined with a passion for supporting the development of children in a caring environment, Frances O’Rielly’s motto is creating a safe and loving home-away-from home for children while playing and learning.
O’Rielly, owner of Rielly Roost Childcare Centre on the Southern Shore Highway in Witless Bay, officially opened her doors in January 2023. She had run a regulated family childcare centre from her home for five years before deciding to expand into a larger daycare centre, which now supports 48 families in the area.
“Taking care of children has always been something I have loved to do. Early Childhood Education has always been my calling,” O’Rielly says. “Every child deserves quality early learning and childcare. I was determined to do what I could on the southern shore.”
She says each day when she opens the doors to the Roost, she feels like she’s where she was always supposed to be. The daycare centre offers learning experiences like music classes, educational visitors, an after-school program for older children, and lots of outdoor learning and play.
“I love seeing children’s eyes light up when you make them feel important and providing a safe and loving home away from home for them to play and learn,” O’Rielly says, explaining that the expansion of the daycare center wouldn’t have been possible without the support of CBDC Celtic. “CBDC has been everything when it has come to us getting here. (Our advisor) has guided and supported us through every obstacle along the way … to make sure it happened.”
O’Rielly took advantage of the Youth Loan, Kick$tart, SEA Program, and First-Time Entrepreneur Loan, all of which are designed to help start and grow small businesses throughout the province.