Supports to Children with Special Needs
The principle of integration or inclusion guides the provision of services to children and families of the Niagara region. This principle requires client integration into community-based services. Resource Teachers provide specialized supports to ensure that children experience success within a fully integrated child care centre classroom.
Such supports may include the development of improved readiness to learn in the following areas:
- cognitive
- gross motor
- fine motor
- speech and language
- behavioural
- social
- emotional
Resource Teacher supports are available to children within the system of licensed child care programs and for those children who attend before and/or after school programs. Supports to children with special needs are available for children from birth to age six, and for children aged six to 12 years in before and/or after school programs in all municipalities in Niagara.
Supports are available for children who have two or more areas of developmental delay, or for children who experience early developmental difficulties and are at risk of future learning problems in school. Agencies that provide supports to children with special needs work together as a team and in collaboration with parents to ensure that the service meets the defined needs of the child and is delivered in a timely manner.
Agencies funded through Children's Services that offer help for children with special needs are:
- Adolescent's Family Support Services of Niagara
- Community Living St. Catharines
- Community Living Welland Pelham
- Family and Children's Services Niagara-FACS
- Niagara Child and Youth Services
- Niagara Peninsula Children's Centre
- Niagara Region - Children's Services
- Niagara Support Services
All children enrolled in licensed child care in Niagara are automatically screened to determine if they are developmentally on track. Many programs are fully integrated and a resource teacher may be available to work with children, if necessary.
For information please call Children's Services at 905-984-3750 or 1-800-263-7215 ext. 3897.
