More young parents in B.C. can now access free child care while they finish high school, announced federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Jean-Yves Duclos, B.C. Minister of Children and Family Development Katrine Conroy and Minister of State for Child Care Katrina Chen.

"For children across Canada, including here in British Columbia, access to high quality, flexible child care allows their parents the ability to enter the workforce or finish school,” said Duclos. “This is an important part of our commitment to supporting middle class Canadians and those working hard to join it and ensuring Canadian children get the best possible start in life."

The Province is investing an additional $3 million over the next three years – on top of its annual funding of $1.6 million – to boost the monthly subsidy amount available to eligible young parents to up to $1,500 a month per child.

“It’s harder to get ahead and build a strong foundation for your family if you don’t finish Grade 12,” said Conroy. “That’s why we are expanding supports under the Young Parent Program, which helps cover the costs of child care, so young parents can finish school in their home communities.”

To be eligible for the Young Parent Program (YPP), parents must be under the age of 24 years, have had their child on or before their 20th birthday and meet the eligibility criteria for the Child Care Subsidy program. Infant and toddler care is the most expensive type of child care in B.C., at a median cost of $1,250 per month. The majority of young parents in YPP have children up to 18 months old, and need access to infant and toddler care.

“Young parents throughout B.C. deserve to have all the support possible to allow them to finish their education and provide a better future for their families,” said Chen. “That’s why we’re investing in the Young Parent Program, and giving it a much-needed funding lift for the first time in seven years.”

Centres that offer YPP may provide other supports to help the young parents, including: meals or nutrition and health-education supports; housing supports; counselling or access to counselling; transportation; or help with referrals to other community agencies. Through their time at the child care centres, parents spend time with and build strong bonds with their children.

“We know a supported parent that is able to have their basic needs met is a stronger parent, and that’s why, every day, we work with young families with the knowledge that – with support – great potential is achieved,” said Lisa Hubbard, executive director of the North Shore Neighbourhood House and Mountainside Daycare, one of the centres that runs the Young Parent Program.“The additional support parents get through the YPP program helps them find housing, food security, job potential and counselling.”

In February 2018, the Ministry of Children and Family Development signed a $153-million, three-year Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) partnership agreement with the Government of Canada. This agreement enriches annual YPP program funding by 63% to $2.6 million. The increase in funding will help to serve the child care needs of approximately 220 young-parent families per year.

Under Childcare BC, the Province is investing more than $1 billion into child care over the next three years to lay the foundation for a universal child care system that will provide access to affordable, quality child care for anyone in B.C. who wants or needs it. Investments under the ELCC agreement complement the Province’s Childcare BC goals to improve access to child care by supporting British Columbians who need them most – from young parents, to children with special needs and Indigenous communities.

Quick Facts:

Just over half of the Young Parent Programs in B.C. operate as infant/toddler centres, offering care to children under the age of three years, while the remainder also provide care for children aged three years to kindergarten.

Participating child care centres are often co-located or close to secondary schools to allow parents to visit their children frequently.

The close proximity also gives parents peace of mind that their young children are close by and well cared for, allowing them to focus on their studies.

Some programs serve only young parents and their families; however, most (70%) have a certain number of spaces prioritized for young parents and offer the remainder to other families in the community.

Child care subsidies are available to help low-income families with the cost of child care, supporting about 20,000 children and their families each month.

The Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative, which was launched in April 2018, is helping to reduce the cost of licensed child care by up to $350 a month for parents with children in approved child-care facilities. In the first month alone, the initiative put more than $2.2 million back in parents’ pockets.

In addition to the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative, another affordability measure will be introduced in September 2018. The new Affordable Child Care Benefit will help reduce child care costs for lower-income families by up to $1,250 per month and will support 86,000 B.C. families a year by 2020-21.

Learn More:

Young Parent Program: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content?id=41CD55C0B3ED4F51A0274EDE85E886F5

Child care in B.C.: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare

Childcare BC Blueprint: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/family-and-social-supports/child-care/childcare_web.pdf

Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative – list of participating child care providers:

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/family-social-supports/caring-for-young-children/running-daycare-preschool/child-care-operating-funding/child-care-fee-reduction-initiative-info-for-parents

For more information on the Child Care Subsidy, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/family-social-supports/caring-for-young-children/child-care/financial-assistance-for-child-care#funding_amount

A backgrounder follows.