WOODLAND HILLS : Corporations Fund Day-Care Center

Three Warner Center corporations have combined forces to fund an expanded day-care center for parents in the Woodland Hills and surrounding areas, with facilities for more than 150 infants, toddlers and preschoolers, as well as children with minor illnesses.

The Warner Center Children’s Corner opened last week, in an attempt to provide peace of mind to Warner Center employees with children and cut down on trips to and from other day-care centers.

The center moved from a site at the West Valley Occupational Center, which could accommodate only half the number of children eligible for care at Warner Center. Enrollment is open to anyone.

Plans to enroll up to 25 children with minor illnesses per day next fall also is expected to reduce the number of days that parents stay home from work to care for their children.

“This is a growing trend now,” said center Director Dianne Philibosian. “Parents feel very comfortable with having their children near the work site, and businesses are finding that it can be advantageous to help provide a place for child care.”

The 10,000-square-foot facility at the Prudential was built with about $900,000 from that company, Health Net, the Rocketdyne Division of Rockwell International Corp. and a trust fund administered by the city of Los Angeles. Many materials, furnishings and services were donated from other sources, Philibosian said.

The center includes special features such as a “slide” exit and large, “bubble” windows. Preschoolers, sick children and infants and toddlers have separate rooms and yards with playground equipment.

Staff members are provided through Cal State Northridge. The center provides one teacher for each eight children, and will hire one teacher for each four infants and toddlers between two weeks and two years old. Although the program is filling up quickly, there is still room for some preschoolers, Philibosian said.

Other contributors to the center include Cal State Northridge, United Way and other Warner Center area businesses. Employees of Warner Center Assn. businesses are eligible for a discount rate for their children. More information is available at (818) 887-1993.