Frequently Asked Questions

Many families have expressed to us a desire to meet and connect with families who share identities that intersect with their identity as parents, caregivers, and as a child. We have been listening and recognize the need for this form of connection. Affinity Groups are identity-specific Groups for families to join, either as supplemental programs or primary programs. You may choose what works best for your family.
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PEPS offers options for parents of middle school kids aged 10-14, or high school kids aged 15-19, or a blended group that has both middle and high school kids aged 10-19.
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PEPS has safely reintroduced in-person and hybrid groups based on recommendations from the medical community and King County Public Health guidelines. In-person and hybrid groups are offered in homes or in-person at community sites; all adult attendees must be vaccinated for COVID-19. In-person Groups have the location listed in the Location column. Hybrid PEPS Groups will meet weekly in person during weeks 1, 7, and 12, and virtually in the remaining weeks. You can filter by Meeting Format to find the available options of either in-person, virtual, or hybrid groups. Visit our Reintroducing In-Person PEPS groups page to learn more.
Connecting the Expecting and PAT (Program for Adolescents and Teens) Groups meet virtually and include families from around the Puget Sound area; these Groups are not neighborhood-based.
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If your designated virtual group chooses to meet in person, it must be outside of the PEPS facilitated meeting times. We acknowledge that different families will have varying levels of risk tolerance. We do not want people to feel pressured to meet in person and our Group Leaders and participants have signed up for an online group. Participants in a virtual Group are not required to have their COVID-19 vaccination.
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PEPS has implemented Health & Safety practices for in-person and hybrid PEPS programs. For Groups that begin after June 1, masks are optional for in-person or hybrid Groups held in homes. Masks are required for all in-person groups held at community sites. All participants agreeing to in-person programming enter of their own will and at their own risk as explicitly detailed on our PEPS Notice, Waiver, and Release form. If someone in the group tests positive for COVID, we will follow the Protocols for a positive COVID test.
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One parent Groups typically consist of 5 – 10 families. Groups that have a blend of one or two parent families attending typically consist of 4 – 8 families.
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PEPS Groups are offered to families living from Marysville to Kent and Seattle to Snoqualmie and many areas in between. Connecting the Expecting and PAT Groups are offered online only and include families from around the Puget Sound; these Groups are not neighborhood-based. View our neighborhood map.
For further information on group registration, including assistance in determining which area to sign up for, please contact us at registration@peps.org.
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PEPS Groups are led by people from a variety of professional backgrounds and share the common goal of helping new parents to thrive and build community. These Group Leaders become trained facilitators by completing four hours of intense training and receive support from the PEPS staff during the course of their group. PAT Group leaders additionally have a background in adolescent development and psychology.
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For Connecting the Expecting Groups, please select a start date in your third trimester, or if you are adopting, a start date within a few months of your adoption date.
For Newborn and Second Time Around Groups, select a date that is 2-16 weeks after your baby’s due date.
For Baby Peppers, your baby should be 5-12 months old when the group begins.
For PAT Groups, you can select the group based on your child's age or the schedule that works best for you. if you have children spanning across the 10-19 age range, you may select any group that works for you.
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As soon as possible! Groups fill quickly, so register as soon as you can to secure the group of your choice. If groups have low enrollment, they may be cancelled. When families register early, we know that there is interest in the group.
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Create a PEPS profile and sign in to register.

For Newborn, Second Time Around, and Baby Peppers, begin at the Find a Group tab.
For Newborn and Second Time Around Groups, select the appropriate Group type, then choose the neighborhood you live in to find a group. You may also want to check nearby neighborhoods or "Entire Puget Sound region". You may also use the Meeting Format or Time of Day filters.
For Baby Peppers, select the Group type, then choose the group closest to you or the schedule that works best for you.
For PAT, go to the Adolescents and Teens (PAT) tab, then choose the group you'd like to join based on your child's age or the schedule that works best for you.
For Connecting the Expecting Groups, go to the Connecting the Expecting tab, then choose the start date that is during your third trimester. You may also want to use the Attendance Option filter to browse by one parent or one or more parents to see which groups offer what you're looking for.
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The program fee is dependent on which group you register for. PEPS offers Flexible Pricing and Financial Assistance. Learn more here.
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