Young Parent Program

Parents who are under the age of 25 may qualify for help with child care while they finish high school – including:

• Up to $1,500 (per month per child) to help cover the cost of child care
• A space for their child in a care program at or near the school they're attending

A parent can qualify for this funding by applying for the Affordable Child Care Benefit. They must also:

• Be a resident of B.C.
• Be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, a Convention refugee or a person in need of protection
• Be under the age of 25
• Have a child that was born on or before the parent's 20^th birthday
• Be participating in an education program for the purpose of completing Grade 12
• Have their child enrolled in a licensed child care facility that is operating an approved Young Parent Program

Providers can be designated as a Young Parent Program if they:

• Provide a copy of their licence, identifying that they provide child care for infants and toddlers (up to age three)
• Are located in close proximity to a secondary school facility
• Confirm that they provide a parent education program

In addition, they are required to provide a minimum of one of the following services to young parents and their children:

• Provision of meals/food
• Nutrition and health education/supports (for example, on-site visits by registered nutritionists, public health nurses, dental practitioners, etc.)
• Housing supports
• Counselling, or access to counselling
• Transportation
• Assistance with referrals to other community agencies
• Any other supports that assist young parents and their families