The preschool lab from the University of Wisconsin’s School of Human Ecology cut the ribbon of their newest facility Tuesday, ensuring childcare for students, faculty and staff until a new facility is completed, officials said.

The facility, located at number 39 of the University Apartments, will serve as the temporary location of the preschool lab until their new facilities on Linden Drive are completed in 2012, said Lynn Edlefson, director of SoHE’s Office of Child Care and Family Resources.

Administrator Jill Reilly said the ribbon cutting went well, with families present as well as Chancellor Biddy Martin.

Currently 54 children attend preschool lab, Edlefson said, many of whose parents are UW students, faculty and staff.

The center is one of eight on campus, and altogether the centers care for children between the ages of six weeks and 5 years, Edlefson added.

Edlefson said the existence of childcare on campus significantly impacts UW in a variety of ways.

First, infant care is an essential need for campus families, she said, which is one of the services SoHE provides, attracting not only faculty to UW, but students as well.

Reilly agreed, and said the proximity of the childcare facilities to campus gives parents peace of mind.

“[Parents] always talk about how much they value having a safe, high-quality program that they feel comfortable leaving their child each day,” she said. “[Parents] are able to be productive in whatever they’re doing for the university.”

Edlefson attributed the success of the program to the teachers, who all have four-year degrees and specialize in early childhood education.

Despite the top-notch care children receive, Reilly said they are not the only ones who learn from the childcare providers.

“We also hear a lot about how much [parents] learn from our teachers about raising their children, about child development, about being supportive,” Reilly said. “Parents gain a lot.”

When UW completes construction on the Linden Drive facility, Edlefson said it would house the preschool lab as well as infant care.

In total 80 to 100 children from birth to 5 years old will attend daycare in the new facility upon its completion, Reilly said.