Weyburn's Comprehensive High School may offer a day care centre for teen parents by next year.

The superintendent of student services for the Weyburn Comprehensive School told Comp board trustees Monday night the local committee is preparing a proposal to be presented to the provincial child care division.

In an interview Tuesday, Lynne Buchanan said the proposal will ask for 11 spaces for teen parents from 13-21 years. The age limitations come from provincial restrictions.

Some spaces might be available to students at the Southeast Regional College as well, she said.

"We haven't got all the numbers ready yet. We're just starting the process," said Buchanan. She said a needs assessment will have to be done for this year to determine the number of students who might use the centre.

Committee members, made up of representatives of the Comp, the college and the provincial day care consultant, want the centre to also provide parenting and child development courses, some of which might gain high school credits.

The idea is to keep teen parents, both the mother and the father, in school and give them some background and support to help them look after their children, said Buchanan.

"Quite often teenage parents struggle with their child care responsibilities while attending school," she said."

Buchanan said the Comp board hopes to gain most of the funding for the centre from different provincial programs, but the board may have to pick up some of the costs. Students would also pay a fee for the day care.

The board is hoping to be able to open the centre by the fall of 2005.

Federal election promises to provide more funding for day care programs across Canada might also come into the equation and help with costs, if dollars materialize in the next federal budget, said Buchanan.