Over the weekend of April 1-3, 2016, our Foundation installed THREE SMILEZONES at the Children’s Aid Society of London and Middlesex, ON.
Three family meeting/observation rooms were renovated by the Foundation, providing a safe, neutral, and child-focused setting for children and youth in CAS care to visit with their parents, guardians, and/or caregivers. This stunning and fun transformation included:
Throughout this transformation, Smilezone Foundation worked closely with the London CAS staff, clinicians, and social workers, in order to create fun and functional spaces in a home-like environment. These ‘family hubs’ are places where parents/caregivers and children can interact and have fun together in a comfortable setting, sharing the small moments that matter so much!
The addition of a breastfeeding room provides a safe space for young mothers to navigate and learn the new skills needed to care for an infant child in a private, structured and stable environment. A brand new kitchen space allows families to prepare meals together and share ordinary, everyday experiences. The tactile tables give kids a place to just be kids, and creative additions like the Narnia doors encourage them to find the fun in everything! It’s amazing what fresh paint, wonderful murals, and an amazing, family-oriented makeover can do to create a home-like environment for everyone to enjoy!
Children’s Aid Society of London and Middlesex is a non-profit organization operating under the legislative mandate of the Ontario Child and Family Services Act that provides services to vulnerable children and families in the London and Middlesex community. Funded by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services of the Ontario Government, CAS is accountable to the community as a whole, whose mission is to ensure that all children thrive in a safe, stable and loving family.
