519 Programmes: Children's Programmes

Welcome to Children’s Programmes at The 519. We serve families with children aged 0-6. The families that participate are diverse and include single parent families, children of working parents who come with caregivers, children being raised by grandparent(s), children with a mother and father or children with two mothers or two fathers. We also serve families that are diverse in the areas of socio-economic status, culture, national origin, religion and ethnicity and sexual orientation/gender identity. The majority of our participants live in the downtown core. Many live within walking distance of The 519.

Many participants in our programme are newcomers to Canada. Some of the issues they deal with are social isolation, culture shock, struggles with language/communication, housing, employment and unfamiliarity with the school system. Many parents/caregivers also struggle with balancing between two cultures: their culture(s) and Western/Canadian culture. Out of necessity, many newcomers, especially those with young children, are adept at creating social support networks and seeking out people from their culture in Canada.

Many families need referral to other agencies to deal with special needs such as; developmental delays, mental health, speech and language development, child care, home visitors through Healthy Babies, Healthy Children, housing and employment.

Queer Parenting Programmes at The 519

Our Queer Parenting Programmes serve members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender/Transsexual communities who are currently parents, their children, and those who are considering parenthood. A major focus is on supporting families with children aged 0-6, and expectant parents.

The families that participate have diverse identities and structures. This includes lone parent families, as well as those with varied configurations of mothers and/or fathers. Our families are also diverse in areas of socio-economic status, culture, national origin, religion and ethnicity.

LGBTT-led families are in constant need for safe and inclusive programming that all families with young children need (i.e. parenting classes, social support, and resources). There are very few early years programmes that specifically address the needs of people in LGBTT communities. As a consequence, many people feel isolated during the process of becoming parents as well as while they are parenting.

Because we are one of the few agencies that offer programmes specifically for LGBTT parents and their children, we find a lot of families visit us from all over the downtown core, the Greater Toronto Area, and from outside the GTA. The same goes for students, community members and professionals seeking advice and information. Click here to visit the Queer Parenting section of this website.