Modernizing Special Needs Resourcing in Child Care
All Niagara Region projects

About the project

In 2024, Niagara Region hired a consultant to review the Special Needs Resourcing Program. This was the first full review in over 30 years. The goal was to understand what is working well and what could be improved, so the program better supports children now and in the future.

The review was done by Taneja Consulting throughout 2024 and early 2025. They spoke with educators, families, resource consultants and other partners to gather ideas and feedback to inform a new model for special needs resourcing delivery.

What's changing

Taneja Consultants recommended a new way to deliver services that:

• Gives more support to educators, families and the system
• Matches services to each child's specific needs
• Adds tools to help with coordination, quality and complex situations

Niagara Regional Council approved the updated model on May 22, 2025.

Agencies providing inclusion resource services

Bethesda Community Services, Niagara Children's Centre and Pathstone Mental Health provide inclusion resource services. Inclusion quality coordinators are employed by Bethesda Community Services or Niagara Children's Centre. Pathstone Mental Health provides behaviour consultant support as part of the model.

• Community pedagogical advisors

  New to the model are five community pedagogical advisors employed by Niagara Region. Their role is to:

  • Build relationships with educators, inclusion quality coordinators and site supervisors
  • Act as a resource to child care centres in implementing and improving quality
  • Support child care centres with their professional learning needs and tailor supports to meet these needs
  • Support alignment with How Does Learning Happen? Framework
• Inclusion quality coordinators

  The resource consultant role has been replaced with the inclusion quality coordinator role in the new model. Inclusion quality coordinators will provide support in Niagara to licensed child care centres, licensed home child care and EarlyON locations. Their role is to:

  • Model strategies for educators in the classroom
  • Provide support with strategies to build an inclusive and high-quality classroom environment
  • Help to identify and support children who will benefit from additional supports
  • Develop individual support plans, goal plans and monitor progress
  • Invite other practitioners into the classroom to support strategy and goal creation when needed
• Behaviour consultants

  Behaviour consultants employed by Pathstone will continue to support children, families and educators in the Inclusion Resource Service Model. They work with inclusion quality coordinators to:

  • Build strategies that help replace challenging behaviour with appropriate skills
  • Support classrooms to promote social-emotional well-being
  • Help educators and families understand what a child's behaviour may be communicating
  • Set positive goals and use strategies that support inclusion and well-being

Sites and advisors

• Sites supported by Bethesda Community Services

  Community pedagogical advisor: Holly Defoe

  • A.B.C. Daycare Centre
  • Grapeview Day Care Centre
  • Harbour Preschool
  • Playtown Niagara - Town's Little Leaders
  • The Port Dalhousie Nursery School

  Community pedagogical advisor: Jesse Pecore

  • YMCA Alexander Kuska
  • YMCA Canadian Martyrs
  • YMCA Carleton
  • YMCA Crossroads
  • YMCA Father Fogarty
  • YMCA Father Fogarty 2
  • YMCA Father Hennepin
  • YMCA Glendale
  • YMCA Glynn A. Green
  • YMCA Gracefield
  • YMCA Grapeview
  • YMCA Harriet Tubman
  • YMCA Holy Name
  • YMCA Jeanne Sauve
  • YMCA Kate S. Durdan / Loretto
  • YMCA Lockview
  • YMCA Oakridge
  • YMCA Orchard Park
  • YMCA Our Lady of Fatima - Grimsby
  • YMCA Our Lady of Fatima - St. Catharines
  • YMCA Our Lady of Mount Carmel
  • YMCA Our Lady of the Holy Rosary
  • YMCA Parnell
  • YMCA Pine Grove
  • YMCA Port Weller
  • YMCA Power Glen
  • YMCA Prince Phillip
  • YMCA Smith School
  • YMCA Smithville
  • YMCA St. Alexander
  • YMCA St. Alfred
  • YMCA St. Ann
  • YMCA St. Anthony
  • YMCA St. Denis
  • YMCA St. James
  • YMCA St. John Henry Newman
  • YMCA St. Peter
  • YMCA St. Vincent de Paul
  • YMCA Stevensville
  • YMCA Wellington Heights
  • YMCA Westdale
  • YMCA William Hamilton Merritt

  Community pedagogical advisor: Jessie Philbert

  • YMCA Alexander KuskKids' Kastle Co-operative Nursery School

  Community pedagogical advisor: Kristen Richardson

  • A Child's View - Grandview Community Daycare
  • A Child's View - Lakeview Community Daycare
  • A Child's View - Lakeview Community Daycare East
  • Beamsville Early Learning and Child Care Centre
  • Creek CCC - Cedar Creek Childcare
  • Central Community Church St.Catharines Inc. - Childcare Central
  • Great Lakes Christian Preschool
  • Greenbelt Academy and Early Learning Centre Inc.
  • Grimsby Community Preschool
  • Creek CCC- Hickory Creek Childcare
  • Kids Place
  • Kidzdome Preschool
  • Maple Leaf Montessori School of Niagara-on-the-Lake
  • Mini Retreat Childcare
  • Mini Retreat Childcare School Age
  • Mini Retreat Grimsby
  • Niagara Nursery School
  • North End Co-operative Preschool (St. Catharines)
  • Power Glen Early Learning and Child Care Centre
  • Rosalind Blauer Centre for Child Care
  • Sweet Love Childcare Centre Inc.
  • The Chestnut Tree - Beamsville
  • The Chestnut Tree - Beamsville Plaza
  • The Chestnut Tree - Grimsby
  • The Chestnut Tree - Lincoln Manor
  • The Day Care Centre
  • The Day Care Centre - A Special Place
  • Trailridge Montessori Education Group
  • Trailridge Montessori Ontario St.
  • Wainfleet Kiddy Kollege
  • Your Preschool - Smithville
  • Your Preschool - Grassie
  • Your Preschool - Vineland
  • Wee Watch Home Child Care
  • Niagara Region Home Child Care
  • Children's Learning Garden Home Licensing Agency

  Community pedagogical advisor: Spencer Cappellazzo

  • Beyond Montessori School Inc.
  • Glendale Early Learning
  • St. Thomas' Day Care
  • Way to Grow Assumption
  • Way to Grow Caistor Central
  • Way to Grow Gordon
  • Way to Grow Mary Ward
  • Way to Grow Pelham
  • Way to Grow Smithville
  • Way to Grow St. Catharines
  • Way to Grow St. Christopher
  • Way to Grow St. Davids
  • Way to Grow St. Joseph
  • Way to Grow St. Nicholas
  • Way to Grow St. Theresa
  • Way to Grow Valley Way
  • YMCA Central
  • YMCA Jacob Beam
  • YMCA Park
  • YMCA Senator Gibson
  • YMCA St. John
  • YMCA St. Joseph
  • YMCA St. Mark
• Sites supported by Niagara Children's Centre

  Community pedagogical advisor: Holly Defoe

  • Althorp Montessori School
  • Althorp Montessori School - Thorold Campus
  • FACS - Bunting Child Care Program
  • FACS - Western Hill Child Care Program
  • Fonthill Montessori Preschool
  • Fonthill Montessori Preschool 2
  • Fort Erie Community Preschool
  • Fort Erie Community Preschool - Crescent
  • Fort Erie International Academy
  • Fort Erie Native Cultural Centre Aboriginal Head Start Program
  • Fort Erie Native Cultural Centre Under the Rainbow
  • LJT - Kinder Academy
  • LJT - Little Academy
  • Niagara Region - St. Catharines Regional
  • Niagara Region - Welland Regional
  • Niagara Region Branscombe Early Learning and Family Centre
  • Niagara Region Fort Erie Regional
  • Niagara Region Port Colborne Regional
  • Parents Peace of Mind - Henley
  • Parents Peace of Mind - St. Paul
  • Parents Peace of Mind - Merritt
  • Strive Fitch St.
  • Strive Greendale
  • Strive - Margaret Jarrell Child Care
  • Strive Niagara - Family Learning Child Care Centre
  • Strive - Notre Dame Elementary Before and After
  • Strive - Pine Grove Child Care
  • Strive - Quaker Rd. Before and After School Care
  • Strive - Sven H. Dohnberg Centre
  • Strive - Welland Parent Child Care
  • Top of the Ridge Day Care Inc.
  • Turtle Club Day Care

  Community pedagogical advisor: Jessie Philbert

  • Anna's Day Care Centre
  • Bee Montessori Niagara - Hagar St.
  • Bee Montessori Niagara - Portage Rd.
  • Boys and Girls Club Dalewood
  • Boys and Girls Club E. J. Freeland
  • Boys and Girls Club of Niagara (McLeod Rd.)
  • Boys and Girls Club Prince of Wales
  • Boys and Girls Club Princess Elizabeth
  • Boys and Girls Club Riverview
  • Boys and Girls Club St. Catharines
  • Boys and Girls Club St. Gabriel Lalement
  • Boys and Girls Club St. George
  • C. Sisters of the Sacred Heart's Children's Day Care
  • Centre éducatif les p'tigroux
  • Conseil Scolaire Catholique MonAvenir- Coccinelles Zelees
  • Conseil Scolaire Catholique MonAvenir- Les Coccinelles Zelees
  • Kings Heritage Christian Childcare - Church St.
  • Kings Heritage Christian Childcare - Ontario St.
  • La Boite a Soleil - Bridgeview
  • La Boite a Soleil - Fitch
  • La Boite a Soleil - Franco Niagara
  • La Boite a Soleil - LaMarsh
  • La Boite a Soleil - L'Heritage
  • La Boite a Soleil - Nouvel Horizon
  • La Boite a Soleil - Sainte Marguerite
  • La Boite a Soleil - St. Joseph
  • La Petite Etoile et Club après-l'école
  • Maple Crest Early School
  • Nelephant Montessori School
  • Nelephant Montessori Toddler Program
  • Pathways Academy and Early Learning Centre
  • St. David's Co-operative Nursery School
  • Stamford Green Day Nursery
  • Terra Viva Montessori Main Street
  • Terra Viva Montessori Scott Street
  • Thorold Community Activities Group
  • Thorold Co-operative Nursery School Inc.
  • Tots-N-Tikes

  Community pedagogical advisor: Kristen Richardson

  • West Lincoln Co-op Nursery School

  Community pedagogical advisor: Spencer Cappellazzo

  • A Child's World - Cherrywood Acres
  • A Child's World Country Kids
  • A Child's World Fairview
  • A Child's World Ferndale
  • A Child's World First Friends
  • A Child's World Forestview
  • A Child's World John Brant
  • A Child's World Kids World
  • A Child's World Lookout Ridge
  • A Child's World McKay
  • A Child's World North Court
  • A Child's World Princess Margaret
  • A Child's World Ross
  • A Child's World Sacred Heart
  • A Child's World St. Andrew
  • A Child's World St. John Bosco
  • A Child's World Tiny Travellers
  • A Child's World Twenty Valley
  • A Child's World Woodlawn

Project timeline