OTTAWA - The Harper government is reminding the public that a long-promised program to support families of murdered and missing teenagers will take effect New Years Day.

Kellie Leitch, Parliamentary Secretary to Human Resources Minister Diane Finley, announced Sunday that the grant will be available, as promised in the last federal budget, on Tuesday.

She says the income support program will ease the financial pressure on parents struggling to cope with the death or disappearance of a child.

It will be available for eligible parents who suffer a loss of income when they take time away from work to cope with the tragedy that is the result of a probable Criminal Code offence.

This new grant is expected to support an estimated 1 000 families annually.

It will provide $350 per week in income support for up to 35 weeks.

Sharon Rosenfeldt, president of Victims of Violence-Canadian Centre for Missing Children, says they're grateful for the government's commitment.

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