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Early Intervention

Who does the Early Intervention Program serve?

Children who…

  • Are between birth to kindergarten-entry age ​
  • Have their home address in Vancouver, Burnaby, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, or Richmond
  • Have a confirmed or suspected developmental delay or disability ​
  • Require Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Speech Therapy* and/or support from our community feeding team​

How do I access Early Intervention Program services for my child?

The Parent/Guardian or a professional working with your child can fill out the Referral Form. Please check Early Intervention Program.

If you are already a client of the Early Intervention Program and would like to access additional services within our program you do not need to fill out another referral form, please let your current service provider know. ​

Services available through the Early Intervention Program

Occupational Therapy

Our Occupational Therapists can help with:​

  • Developing fine motor skills ​
  • Developing play skills to support participation ​
  • Developing self-care skills including eating, dressing, toileting, bathing, grooming, and sleep
  • Accessing positioning equipment such as bath chairs, feeding seats, car seats, and wheelchairs

Physiotherapy

Our Physiotherapists can help with:​

  • Supporting the development of gross motor milestones
  • Developing physical skills to participate at home and in the community
  • Adapting the environment (home, daycare, or preschool) for safety ​
  • Accessing equipment such as standing frames, walkers, orthotics, wheelchairs, and seats

Speech Therapy

​*Clients are only eligible for EIP speech therapy services if they are also in need of occupational therapy and/or physiotherapy services.  If your child only needs speech therapy, please contact your local health unit.​

Our Speech Therapists can help with:​

  • Building back-and-forth interactions with your child before they’re even using words (e.g. sharing attention, and using gestures like showing, reaching and pointing)​
  • Learning what words mean and how to put them together into sentences​
  • Making clear speech sounds​
  • Playing and making friends​
  • Setting up other communication systems – augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) – when speaking may be challenging​
  • Developing safer eating skills​

Rapid Response Feeding Team​

Our feeding team consists of an occupational therapist and a speech language pathologist. This is a prioritized, temporary service in order to provide urgent feeding support to children and their families. When the feeding urgency is resolved, clients are either discharged or put on an appropriate Early Intervention Program waitlist for follow up services. ​

Our feeding team can help with:​

  • Assessing oral motor skills and making food and liquid suggestions to reduce risks when eating and drinking​
  • Supporting infants and caregivers if bottle aversion has been identified as a concern by the family or pediatrician
  • Supporting children discharged from a hospital with a feeding plan

Social Work

Families/caregivers of children who are eligible for Occupational Therapy and/or Physiotherapy services in EIP may also request Social Work consultation and support in the following areas:

  • Counselling regarding the impact of the child’s special needs or disability
  • Managing the emotional demands and stresses of family life
  • Transitioning to/from daycare, preschool, and kindergarten
  • Identifying available resources and funding sources
  • Planning, coordinating, and navigating services

RESOURCES

BCCFA Referral Form
Parent Portal
Frequently Asked Questions
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