Youth Programs and Parenting Support

Programs for children outside school hours are run by a mix of the school district, the county, nonprofits and faith groups. Cost and quality vary widely.

This is an independent informational guide. It is not a government agency, a service provider, or a nonprofit, and it is not affiliated with any organization that previously used this domain. Program rules change — always confirm details with the official source before acting.

After school and summer

Districts run some after-school care directly, and 21st Century Community Learning Centers grants fund free academic programs at qualifying schools. County parks and recreation departments run camps in the summer. Ask about scholarships and sliding scales — many programs have them and few advertise them.

Home visiting for new parents

Florida funds voluntary home visiting for pregnant women and families with young children, delivered through Healthy Families Florida and Healthy Start. Both are free and voluntary, and neither is a child welfare investigation. A trained visitor comes to the home to help with infant care, development and connecting to services. Referrals can come from a parent, a doctor or a hospital.

Parenting programs

Evidence-based parenting programs run through community agencies and are often free. Courts sometimes order participation, but far more families attend voluntarily. The University of Florida's extension service operates in every county and runs family and nutrition education programs at little or no cost.

Grandparents raising grandchildren

Kinship caregivers frequently miss benefits they are entitled to because they never applied as a household. A child living with a grandparent may qualify for support even where the grandparent's own income would not. Florida has a relative caregiver program, and the documents on this site's power of attorney and health care surrogate pages are usually the first practical step.