UCT is investigating the feasibility of establishing a holiday-care facility, which is likely to be on UCT premises, for children of UCT staff and students during school holidays. This would be initiated as a pilot project over the December 2006 school holidays (December 1 to mid-January). As a first step, the interest in such a facility has to be established, and therefore the university needs interested parties to complete a questionnaire.

It is expected that the facility will cater for children of school-going age who would be split into appropriate age groupings. The scope of the project in terms of the age groups that will be catered for is dependent on the interest expressed by UCT staff and students.

Those interested in participating in this initiative can complete the questionnaire available at www.uct.ac.za/images/archive/Care_questionnaire.doc (a link can also be found on the main pages of the staff and student portals on the UCT site) and submit it to the stated address before August 31.

The data provided in the questionnaires will be collated and analysed in terms of the need versus expected costs. If the pilot project is to be initiated, there will be an open lunchtime meeting early in September, when the proposed process will be communicated, and booking lists opened.

For more information, please contact Dr Colleen Moloney at cmoloney@botzoo.uct.ac.za