Parenting
Aunt Leah’s Place
Phone: 604-525-1204
Address: 200 – 668 Carnarvon Street, New Westminster, BC V3M 5Y6
Web: www.auntleahs.org
Aunt Leah’s Place works with teen mothers and youth in foster care system to help them achieve a better future by providing guidance, supported housing, job training and coaching in essential skills.
Services include:
- Aunt Leah’s House: Supported housing for pregnant and parenting teen moms under 19
- Thresholds: Supported housing for new moms who are at risk for being homeless or losing their babies to the foster care system
- Support Link: A semi-independent living & life skills training program for youth, 15-18, who are presently in the MCFD care.
- A variety of life skills and job training employment programs, primarily catering to youth currently placed in foster care and participants (past and present) of Aunt Leah programs.
Ministry of Children & Family Development
Web: www.mcf.gov.bc.ca
MCFD is, broadly, the provincial ministry holding the responsibility for the well-being of children and their healthy development. They are probably best known for providing child protection and supervising substitute care (like foster care and group homes), but also provide services for children with special needs, child and youth mental health, youth justice, and early childhood development programs and services.
Some of the programs they run are:
Kelty Resource Centre
Phone: 604-875-2084 Toll Free: 1-800-665-1822
Address: BC Childrens Hospital Site (Mental Health Building 2), Room P3-302 – 4500 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC
Web: keltymentalhealth.ca
Kelty Resource Centre is a provincial resource centre helping BC children, youth and their families to find the resources in dealing with mental health and substance use issues. In addition, being loosely related to the now closed Eating Disorder Resource Centre of BC, the centre also provides information and referrals to adults with eating disorders.
Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Vancouver
Central Office Phone Number: 604-879-6554
Web: www.bgc-gv.bc.ca
Clubs provide out-of-school hours programs in the school year and day camp programs in the summer through six neighbourhood-based clubs around the Lower Mainland:
- Fraserview Club (South Vancouver)
- North Burnaby Club
- Norvan Club (North Vancouver)
- Kivan Club (Mt. Pleasant)
- Langley Club
- Surrey Club
The Boys & Girls Clubs also offers various youth substance abuse services (Nexus, Odyssey 1 & 2) and the following parent support services:
- Parents Together – A mutual support/self-help group for parents of youth 12-18, with groups in English, Punjabi and Vietnamese.
- Parents Forever – A mutual support/self-help group for parents and family of adult addicted children (18+)
- Mediation for Separated Parents - A short-term (~3-4 sessions) program to help parents negotiate their own parenting plans.
Anxiety BC
Phone: 604-525-7566
Address: 103-237 East Columbia St., New Westminster BC
Web: www.anxietybc.com
The Anxiety Disorders Association of BC provides information about how excess anxiety can express itself and also provides effective strategies to begin addressing anxiety. The site includes self-help tips, workshop listings and resources, as well as a section devoted to anxiety & parenting.
Helpline for Children (MCFD)
Toll-free in BC (no area code needed): 310-1234
Web: www.safekidsbc.ca/helpline.htm
The Helpline for Children is the Ministry of Child and Family Development’s toll-free line for reporting of suspected cases of child abuse or neglect. Ministry social workers are also available to help support families in difficulty, since placing youth in care isn’t always the best or only way to help.
Youth Pregnancy & Parenting Program
Phone: 604-707-3639
Address: Evergreen Community Health Centre, 3425 Crowley Drive, Vancouver, BC V5R 6G3
Web: http://www.bcwomens.ca/HealthTopics/YourBody/teenhealth/YouthPregnancyProgram.htm
Youth Pregnancy Program offers friendly pre and postnatal care and education programs for youth and teens up to 22 years old in a fun, casual environment. If you’re a young mom- or dad-to-be, you and your partner can:
- See a physician/specialist
- Join in prenatal or parenting groups and classes
- Talk to counsellors
- Share a nutritious meal
- Participate in recreational activities and special events with other youth
