Forest Circle Society for Families

Young Parent Program

Program Description

If you join the Campbell River Young Parents’ Program, we can:

  • Develop warm and trusting relationships with you and your child, using a primary caregiver approach that connects you and your child with a specific Early Childhood Educator
  • Provide you with high quality, licensed childcare for your child under the age of 3, located in a separate building at Carihi Secondary School
  • Provide you with information about parenting and baby’s and family’s health and development
  • Give you opportunities to connect with other young parents and share the joys and challenges of parenthood
  • Get you connected to really great resources and programs in the community
  • Support you to continue and complete your high school education, brightening the future for you and your child

Overview

The Campbell River Young Parents’ Program has four components:

  • Education
  • Child Care
  • Support
  • Health

The Campbell River Young Parents’ Program (CRYPP) has four components that work together to help you meet your educational goals while also supporting you and your child on your parenting journey

Education

Many parents in the CRYPP attend regular classes or an alternate program at Carihi Secondary School (350 Dogwood Street, 250-286-6282), but you may also attend another recognized education program such as Robron Centre (740 Robron Road, 250-923-4918). The alternate programs at Carihi and Robron offer environments where students can work at their own pace. Counsellors from Carihi and Robron are connected with the CRYPP and can help you be successful at school

Child Care

Cari’s Infant and Toddler Centre is the child care component of Campbell River Young Parents’ Program, and is located on the grounds of Carihi Secondary School (please see the Cari’s page for more details. Primary caregivers assigned to each family provide ongoing support and ensure that each child’s needs are met while at the Centre. Cari’s offers special events for families, like a summer picnic and a winter holiday party, and provides space for community professionals like the Infant Development Worker, Public Health Nurse and Parent Support workers to meet with you. Fees for children of qualifying parents are paid in full by the Affordable Child Care Benefit and the Centre provides diapers and food for the children of CRYPP program participants while at the Centre. The Coordinator of the Campbell River Young Parents’ program, Gwen, can help you access the Affordable Child Care Benefit and register your child for care at Cari’s…please contact Gwen at Cari’s (771 4th Ave, 250-286-1193) well before you think you will need child care to ensure that space will be available.

Support

A Youth Outreach worker from Foundry provides young parents with some of the support you may need in your role as parent and student, including a weekly parenting group and lunch. The Youth Outreach worker can assist with goal setting and problem solving, provide opportunities for learning and self-development, and can help connect you to community resources. Each week is different, with guest speakers often included to address particular topics of interest Fun activities like crafts and special events are also offered.

Health

The Health and Wellness component of the Young Parents’ Program is provided by a Public Health Nurse and an Infant Development Consultant, as well as guest speakers during the parenting classes. These health workers visit Cari’s on a regular basis and provide information, answers to questions, and guidance concerning health care decisions. Appointments with the nurse can be scheduled on an individual basis for immunizations, sexual health issues or other health matters for yourself or your child…she can meet you at the centre or elsewhere.

Facilities