With its renovations complete and a new set of staff being put into place, the Sunshine League is ready to open its doors again to children who need a home.

The whole building has a clean crisp, warm and welcoming look with all the necessities that can make it feel like home -- from new tiled floors to the comfy wooden bunk beds.

Now focusing on foster care children aged between six and ten and children referred to residential facilities between the ages of 12 and 17, the league will teach the children skills that will enable them to grow mentally and physically, preparing them for the next step they take -- whether that is into the community, back with their families or on to their next set of foster parents.

Administrative director of the Sunshine League, Karyn Hodgson, said: "We used to have kids aged three to 16 and at the age of 16 they could go out to work therefore families would then claim them.

"Now we have kids who may be getting ready to enter alternate families because their parents have reached obstacles where they cannot take care of their children either on a permanent or temporary basis.

"And then out-of-home care becomes an option on a short term or long term basis.'' She said out-of-home care encompasses kinship care, group love and foster care and "that is where the Sunshine League has come into play''.

Although there have been renovations and changes in the Sunshine League, Miss Hodgson said: "We will provide the loving care that was there before as well as some therapeutic programming, more emphasis on gaining life skills and independent living skills as well as developing positive and healthy forms of recreation.

"We will be dealing with foster care kids and kids coming from other residential facilities who are referred to us by social services,'' Miss Hodgson said.

"Those kids -- from residential facilities -- will enter a transitional support programme which is designed primarily to give adolescents independent living skills to be able to function in the community on their own.

"After spending time at the league, they will transition back to families or the community. We will be the progressive step from the residential facility.'' Miss Hodgson also said the foster kids will also be provided with life skills.

"Hopefully all the kids here will be here on a short term basis to avoid them becoming dependent on the system. Every child's case is unique so some may be here longer while others will be here for a short period.'' She added that some of the foster kids would be coming to the League while they are in between placement in a home, or they could only be with their foster parents for a short time.

"When they do leave the League they are expected to go back into a family setting,'' Miss Hodgson continued.

She added she did not anticipate having kids with severe social and emotional problems, but "we do expect some problems to arise. Two counsellors have volunteered their services and staff will also be trained before coming on board,'' she said. "Right now we are in the process of hiring staff. We will be opening tomorrow but the kids are not expected to come until September.'' Asked about the types of kids who will enter the home and their needs, Miss Hodgson said: "As the need arises for different types of kids we will redefine the programme to meet the needs.

"For example, we may have a child that has gotten into difficulty and the person he or she is living with will take them back at a certain time.'' Supervisor of Family Services Glenda Edwards described how kids are referred to the Sunshine League.

"The first thing we do when we are informed of a problem concerning a child is identify whether or not a child is at risk, is he or she being taken care of, abused or neglected and then we have to investigate.'' She added: "We may also have a parent who says they can't take care of the child due to housing and financial problems or the parent says they can't take care of the child because he or she is out of control and their behaviour is too bad.

"It is the job of a social worker to make an assessment as to what is in the best interest of the child and family and then we look at a number of options.

We do not want to separate children unless it is absolutely necessary.'' Mrs. Edwards also said a plan is set up which may or may not mean the child is removed.

"We look at who in the extended family, including Godparents, can look after the child or we provide services to help parents so they can then resume care of their child.

"If we are unable to find help within the extended family, our last resource is foster care families. But when the child is older we have more difficulty.

There are more boys than girls in this situation and those that are age eight years and up are much more difficult to find placements for,'' Mrs. Edwards said.

"We are working with the League as a team because the kids that we refer to them are still our responsibility, and we want to help them. We don't want the League to be used as a dumping ground, we want to make a difference in the kids lives and with their families.'' Sunshine League has opened again after undergoing major renovations. Shown is administrative director Karyn Hodgson.