Block Parent Program

The distinctive red-and-white sign that appears in windows of Block Parent homes.

The Block Parent Program (French: Le Programme Parents-Secours) is a large, volunteer-based, child safety & crime prevention program operating across Canada. Participants in the program (Block Parents) place signs on their homes indicating that the house is a police-screened, safe home for community members in distress, particularly children. If someone is in need of help and see a block parent sign, they know there is someone home who can help them and call the appropriate emergency service if necessary.

The program now includes 300,000 participants.

History

The program first began in London, Ontario in 1968. Independent programs began appearing across Canada until 1983 when a national committee was formed and the national Block Parents Program of Canada was created in 1986.

Future of the Block Parent Program and decline

Some provinces and communities are discontinuing, or proposing to discontinue, the block watch program, for various reasons.

• In March 2005 the B.C. Block Parent Society asked volunteers to remove the signs from homes. [1]

• In Prince Edward Island in November 2006, the Block Parent Program there was discontinued because it was "unable to recruit a provincial executive." [2]

• The programme was discontinued in 2008 in the City of Ottawa.

• In the cities of Kitchener and Waterloo, the number of participating homes when the program began in the area was over 3,000. Unfortunately, participation has taken a enormous decline since then by more than 50%. There are now less than 1,500 homes involved in the program, and many positions such as event coordinator and treasurer are not filled. This decrease has been attributed to the police checks that are now required for program applicants and those already participating. [3]

See also

• Neighborhood watch
• National Safe Place (US)
• Safety House Program (Australia)

External links

• Block Parent Program of Canada