Services for Child Care Centres

Children First employs a number of qualified staff to support children with developmental and/or behavioural needs within community child care programs. Our aim is to build upon the expertise and skills of the child care staff so that they feel confident and competent in their ability to support the needs of children with differing abilities and build inclusive environments.

Working in partnership with families, extending services to the home environment as required is an important component of our service to ensure consistency for the children and to support the family.

Children First and the staff within the Child Care Support Services Stream offer:

• Developmental, behavioural and mental health screening and assessment for individual children or groups of children
• Consultation to child care centre staff and caregivers
• Education, training and coaching for child care staff
• Information and strategies
• Program adaptations and modifications
• Transition planning and support (from home to child care; from child care to school)
• Assistance with achieving full inclusion so the child can actively participate in all aspects of the child care program.
• Act as the bridge between home and child care as needed to enhance consistency
• Speech and Language, Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Psychology consultation, assessment and intervention based on the needs of each child.

Program Support Funding

Program Support Funding is provided by the City of Windsor Children’s Services and can be accessed by licensed child care centres when the demands of the classroom exceed what is manageable.

Program Support is meant to decrease child/teacher ratios to free up the classroom teachers to spend more time with those children who may require extra support.

Classrooms will be assessed by Children First staff to determine if they qualify for program support. Child care operators may contact us at 519-250-1850 for more information about accessing Program Support.