There was a time in the Episcopal Church (and Anglican Communion) that children could not receive communion unless they were confirmed (which at the time typically took place when one was twelve years old or older). That changed with the adoption of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer that reaffirmed that through baptism, all are full members of the Church. Many churches still did not allow children to fully participate in the Eucharist. Children were still regulated to the “basement” and many adults, parents included, felt that children could not understand what Holy Communion was, so should not receive it. Many churches held “first communion” classes.