Gerry Molnar, vice-chair, GTCPS board of directors; Cowichan News Leader Pictorial

Dear editor

As recently reported in your newspaper, the Growing Together Child and Parent Society has published a follow-up research study of their program outcomes. … The primary researcher for the study was Mary Dolan, who gathered all of the research data through lengthy telephone interviews with all of the original clients of the Growing Together Child Care Centre and Young Parent program who could be reached at that time. The data was collated and put into graphic form by Wende Ratsoy and Marilyn Bright. The primary author of the study report was Wende Ratsoy, who wrote the survey of recent research literature, the analysis and implications of the data and recommendations for future practice arising from the data.

The board of directors would like to sincerely thank Mary Dolan, Wende Ratsoy and Marilyn Bright for their contribution to this significant research study, which clearly indicates the long-term benefits of British Columbia’s excellent Young Parent programs…. The young parents who participated in the study, generously sharing their thoughts and their experiences with the researcher, deserve special thanks. We congratulate their successes. …