North Shore Supported Child Development
What is Supported Child Development?
Supported Child Development (SCDP) is a community-based program that assists families of children with extra support needs to access inclusive child care that meets family needs. The program is intended to serve children from birth to 12, with services for youth 13-19 years available in some communities.
SCDP provides the following services to support children, families, and child care providers:
- Individual planning to promote each child’s development.
- Training and information for families and child care providers to help each child’s development.
- Resources such as books, toys and specialized equipment.
- Referrals to other services such as therapists or specialists.
- Where necessary, additional staffing to ensure that children may participate fully with their peers.
- SCDP operates under the principles of inclusion and family centred practice. SCDP uses a multi-disciplinary team approach. Parents may self-refer, or with parent consent, referrals may come from other service providers. The service is voluntary and free of charge.
Supported Child Development Principles
Supported Child Development is a provincially supported program. It is based on the following principles:
Family Centred Approach
- Families know their children best.
- Families have the right & responsibility to make choices for their children.
- Families & professionals work as a team.
Inclusion
- All children are welcomed, supported and valued.
- Everybody plays, learns and grows together.
Community Based
- Inclusion supports the right of all children, regardless of their diverse abilities, to participate actively in natural settings within their communities.
Individual Planning
- Early provision of planning and support services contributes to each child’s optimum development.
- All care providers understand the abilities and challenges of each child in the setting, and practice an inclusive philosophy.
Shared Responsibility
- Parents share the responsibility for the development and coordination of childcare, care providers, communities and various ministries and governments.
- Children who require extra support are accepted and valued by all community members and have opportunities to contribute to their community.
Supported Child Development Program Eligibility
All Children who are residents of BC are eligible for SCDP. Children must meet the following three criteria:
Age:
Child can be aged Birth to their 19th birthday
Support:
There is a need for support in a childcare setting because of the child’s developmental delay or disability.
Development:
Child must have a developmental delay or disability in physical, cognitive, communicative or social/emotional/behavioural areas:
- Physical – child, who is blind or visually impaired, has a neuro-motor or sensorimotor challenge or a special heath care need.
- Cognitive – child has an intellectual delay or disability.
- Communicative – child who is deaf or hard of hearing, or has significant language and speech challenges.
- Social/Emotional/Behavioural – child who has severe social, emotional, or behavioural challenges. Severe behaviour is defined as: behaviour that is dangerous to self or others; extremely disruptive behaviour, which is consistent and persistent over time; behaviour that is serious enough to be known to other community agencies and to warrant intensive interventions by other community agencies.
Supported Child Development – Early Intervention
Early Intervention has a very positive impact on the child with developmental disabilities and their family. Early identification of a child and family’s strengths and concerns will ensure that planning and development can take place to support the child and family to reach their goals.
The primary focus of the Supported Child Development Program is with children and their families in the community childcare settings. We encourage and assist families to access available medical support, family support and service agencies. The desired outcome is that parents have a better understanding of how to best support their child’s development.
The primary focus of the Supported Child Development Program is with children and their families in the community childcare settings. We encourage and assist families to access available medical support, family support and service agencies. The desired outcome is that parents have a better understanding of how to best support their child’s development.
How to Apply for the Supported Child Development Program?
If you are a parent, medical professional, or therapist, please use the Referral Application Form.
If you are a child care operator please use the Observation Consent Form. Signed parental consent is required before the application is considered.
Submitting Your Application:
Please mail or email your completed application to the Supported Child Development Manager.
Mailing Address:
North Shore Supported Child Development Program
225 East 2nd Street
North Vancouver, BC
V7L 1C4
Email:
roberta@nsscdp.com