An innovative partnership between the Province, the BC Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA) and the Directorate of Agencies for School Health (DASH BC) means previously announced government funding for 1,000 before- and after-school arts and recreation spaces will go further thanks to those organizations’ existing partnerships and corporate sponsors.

Making sure young adults leaving government care have the tools to be successful is the focus of a series of innovative provincial partnerships with TELUS, IBM, the Adoptive Families Association of BC and the Public Guardian and Trustee.

ICBC is announcing $50,000 in funding to assist youth in foster care and those who have aged out learn how to drive.

As part of the Provincial Domestic Violence Plan, the Province is investing more than $1.5 million to continue to expand and strengthen supports for those affected by domestic violence in B.C.

Minister of Children and Family Development Stephanie Cadieux has issued the following statement in recognition of Social Work Week in British Columbia, March 12-18, 2017:

MCFD social worker Karen Zilke tries to convince a homeless 17-year-old on a Vancouver sidewalk to join her for breakfast at a nearby restaurant.

Proposed amendments to the Adoptions Act under Bill 2 confirm and clarify established adoption policy in B.C. to connect children and youth to forever homes.

Continued investments under the B.C. Early Years Strategy, along with the addition of $20 million in Budget 2017, are enabling the Province to fund more than 5,000 new child-care and after-school program spaces, as well as early childhood educator (ECE) bursaries in 2017-18.

B.C.’s new adoption website, Adopt BC Kids, has attracted 84 prospective adoptive families just six weeks after going live, helping to provide more loving homes for B.C.’s waiting children.