In the 1980s, the most common care for children was babysitting— locating a woman in the area to care for a child for a small fee. In Belleville a small number, less than a dozen, for profit daycare centers operated. With the idea and encouragement of two ladies of the parish, the approval of the St. Henry School Board and the pastor Msgr. Leonard A. Bauer, the two ladies began their quest to make St. Henry Daycare a reality. The original church and convent, which had been replaced by the new church building was converted to meet the needs of the center. With the advice and help from the State of Illinois DCFS, the fire marshals, and other area centers, St. Henry Daycare Center became a reality. In the beginning, the center served 15-20 children ages 2-5 years and offered a before and after school program for children of St. Henry Grade School. Later, a summer program was developed for children ages 6-12 years. The facility grew each year.

The center provided care for children, prepared them for kindergarten, and overall helped the children grow spiritually, mentally, physically, and academically. The children were taught that learning can be fun. The facility always has and to this day encourages family involvement.

In 2005, St. Henry Grade School closed its doors and, at that time, the St. Henry Daycare changed its name to St. Henry Creative Learning Center. The center became a state-licensed facility.

Today, the center operates in the vacated grade school building. The center staff are State of Illinois DCFS qualified and each year are required to receive 15 hours of continuing education in the Early Childhood field.

The center offers a library containing age-appropriate books for fun reading and family enjoyment and those that provide children initial exposure to the concepts of Christianity. The center also offers a simple curriculum on Christian values and continues to prepare them for kindergarten.

This year, St. Henry CLC celebrates 43 years of successful child care, and we look forward to many more successful years!