Family Support Programs

YMCA Family Support programs bring parents, children, caregivers and entire families together. Early Learning experts support the delivery of formal and informal services that help families communicate better with each other and make connections within their communities.

a teacher handing a student a toy with masks on

EarlyON

EarlyON provides free family programming funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education. During the province-wide shutdown, EarlyON will provide virtual programming for you and your child.

Find a Program

Contact us for a schedule of EarlyON locations in your area.

Contact Durham EarlyON
Contact York EarlyON

EarlyON @ Home

The EarlyON @ Home program sends fun, age-appropriate lessons and activities right to your inbox for free.

Sign Up for EarlyON @ Home

One on One Consultation

We understand how challenging these times can be for parents. You’re not alone in this. Whether you are looking for support, have a parenting question, or just need to talk to someone on our team, we are here for you. Email and let us know how we can help you. Support is available in English, Farsi, Mandarin, Cantonese, Kurdish, Tagalog, Hindi, Assyrian, Turkish, and Urdu.

Email Us

About EarlyON

EarlyON Child and Family Centres are safe and inclusive environments where children ages 0–6 can participate with their parent/caregiver in play-based programs and activities promoting healthy child development. At EarlyON centres, you’ll also find programs and workshops that allow you to connect with your community, obtain advice from qualified professionals regarding subjects relating to child-rearing, and learn about local family services and resources.

Keeping You Safe

EarlyON is committed to bringing families together in supportive and safe environments. All programs will follow guidance from the Ministry of Education and local Public Health units, and all staff are trained to implement measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Y Staff standing in line with masks, waving

Safety measures in all our child care centres and programs include:

all programs, including virtual and outdoor programs, require registration
families are screened before entering programs
staff are required to wear medical-grade PPE when interacting with families
adults are required to wear masks
toys are disinfected after each use

Find Out More

EarlyON staff is ready to welcome you back, or meet you for the first time. Watch this short video to learn about the safety measures our programs have implemented to make things safer for you and your family.

friendship bracelet inside a childs hands

Help the YMCA spread good vibes during Y Be Kind, a 21-day celebration of kindness, compassion and caring. Here at the Y, we value the importance of being kind. From June 2 until June 22, join the celebration by spreading kindness in your homes and across your communities.

Find out More

Brighten your days at home

With free online programming delivered live by EarlyON staff, from our living rooms to yours!

Free Programs for Families

Check out the calendars below and register for interactive programs, every Monday to Saturday live on Zoom

EarlyON Durham Calendar EarlyON York Calendar - May 2021 EarlyON York Calendar - June 2021

Drop in for Parent/Child Circle & Storytime, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8:30am. No registration required

Tune in Here

Durham Supervised Access Program

The Durham Supervised Access Program provides a stepping stone towards renewing relationships in a neutral, child-focused setting

What is Supervised Access?

a welcoming, safe, neutral place for all
a temporary place for parent/child access plans to occur
a visit or exchange where child-focus is maintained at all times; adult issues are not discussed
graduated access can combine visits and exchanges

What are Supervised Visits?

visits are planned for 2 hours
maximum frequency of one visit per week
available for ages 0 to 16 years
occurs in the presence of program staff and trained volunteers

What are Supervised Exchanges?

visits can be for the day or overnight
visits may use different locations to pick up or return
service is for drop off and or pick up only during available hours
occurs in a safe, child-focused setting

For both Supervised Visits and Exchanges

no contact occurs between parents
summary observation notes are available ($100 for 10 weeks of documents)
A $50 No Show fee is applied. Files will close after three No Shows
No assessment or recommendations for future access plans are available

Benefits of Supervised Visits and Exchanges

provides a safe, child-focused environment

visits stay routine and consistent

predictability is improved and tension for children is reduced

can help where physical or emotional safety of children or parents is a concern

presence or program staff limits potential of allegations being made

To Register:

Family Court Order OR a mutually signed agreement for service is required
review dates for Court Orders or mutual agreements should be in place
CAS files must be closed before service can occur
$200 annually per parent unless the terms direct one parent to pay both

$50 non-refundable intake fee is charged
Reduced fees for those on limited income
Payment plans available

Each parent must call to register and book intake (905-619-4565 ext. 305 or 318)

Here to Help

Since March, our Family Support Programs have stepped up to support our communities by:

distributing over 200,000 meals to families of students in need
sharing story, song, game, and craft sessions daily on our YMCA's Facebook Livestream
providing free craft kits families can use at home
connecting with registered families through online learning portals
facilitating virtual visits between non-custodial parents and their children
offering online parenting and kindergarten-readiness programs

CONTACT US

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