News Release - May 6 2009
Richmond – Roots of Empathy founder Mary Gordon honored BC Liberal candidate Linda Reid yesterday at a Baby Celebration hosted by the Roots of Empathy school program in Richmond.
Roots of Empathy is a classroom program that has shown dramatic effects in both reducing levels of aggression and violence among school children and increasing empathy. The program is for children from Kindergarten to Grade 8. There are currently more than 500 programs in BC reaching more than 12,500 children.
“The Roots of Empathy program fosters the development of positive social and emotional behaviours in the critical early years of a child’s life,” said Reid. “I am proud to see such a wonderful program create such positive change in communities and families across BC and we are thankful for all the work Mary Gordon has done for children and families across Canada.”
BC was the first Canadian jurisdiction to implement the Roots of Empathy program for school-aged children and has since expanded the program to include Seeds of Empathy for preschool-aged children and an Aboriginal Roots of Empathy program in classrooms, both on and off reserve, and in both urban and rural locations.
“Linda Reid is recognized nationally for her commitment to the social and emotional development of young children,” said Mary Gordon. “We at Roots of Empathy, and the thousands of children who have had the opportunity to participate in the program, appreciate all the work Linda has done on behalf of BC families.”
The BC Liberals are committed are making record investments in education, child care and supports for children with special needs. This is to ensure that every child has the support they need to grow into healthy, successful adults because children are the future of our province. Our platform outlines the following initiatives:
- Record high funding for K-12 education and post-secondary education
- Over $800 million in additional annual funding for education by 2011/12
- Over $300 million in extra funding over three years for vital social services
- More funding for child care subsidies, services for children and families with special needs, and supports for adults with developmental disabilities
- Every child born in British Columbia on or after January 1, 2007 receives a $1,000 grant that grows larger with interest to help fund their education after graduation
- A BC Liberal Government will create a new program to provide new travel and accommodation assistance to families who must travel long distances to be with their children when they are receiving care. The new $13 million BC Family Residence program will be launched this summer to provide those families with new travel and accommodation support, starting at BC Children’s Hospital and expanding in the years ahead.
