Lakey Stager and Devon Thomas knew that it would be challenging trying to balance raising two young boys while attending school. But thanks to new Young Parent Program (YPP) being offered in Duncan, things are a lot easier.

“We are very happy that both our sons are able to attend the Young Parent Program,” said Duncan parents Lakey and Devon. “Our older son recently turned three years old, and if not for the new Young Parent Program, we would have had to find a new centre for him. Having our children close to the school makes it much easier for us to concentrate on school work.”

Two new Young Parent Programs have opened in B.C. this school year – in Duncan and Penticton, and a third YPP is opening in Chilliwack. These programs offer childcare at or near secondary schools, providing young parents with the chance to finish school and access important parenting resources.

The new YPPs at Chilliwack Community Services, the Nagle Street Early Learning Program in Duncan, and at the Hand in Hand Infant Toddler Centre in Penticton bring the total number of YPP childcare spaces to almost 900.

The Ministry of Children and Family Development now supports 37 Young Parent Programs throughout B.C., including one in Cranbrook – the lone such program in the East Kootenay, coordinated by the Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy (CBAL).

According to CBAL’s website, the Young Parents Education Program is designed for young parents between the ages of 16 and 29 who have not completed Grade 12. Learners attend four mornings a week, three focused on academic skills with the fourth centered on life/work/parenting skills. A children’s program runs simultaneously. They have continuous intake so if you are interested call Jody at 250-421-0475.

This program is provided in partnership with the College of the Rockies with support from the Paq’mi Nuq’yuk Early Learning Years, the Community Connections Society of Southeast BC, CAP-C, IDP and School District No. 5.

Ministry funding for the programs is estimated at more than $2.7 million annually – $540,000 in child-care operating funding and $2.2 million for child-care subsidies.

“It’s not easy being a parent, especially if you’re trying to finish a high school education,” said Minister of Children and Family Development Stephanie Cadieux. “Government recognizes the positive impact these programs have on the lives of young parents and their children – and that’s why we’re supporting these programs in communities throughout the province.”

In 2012-13, 360 children occupied YPP child-care spaces in B.C. Remaining spaces are filled by other parents in the community.

For more information about child-care programs in B.C., please visit: www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/childcare/index.htm.

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