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A parent of child aged 0-4 ?

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Referral Procedures

Niagara Children’s Centre accepts referrals from parents or legal guardians, physicians, school boards and community service providers (with parental consent).

Eligibility

General Eligibility

  • The child/youth is a resident of the Regional Municipality of Niagara
  • Programs/services are available from birth-age 21, dependent on the specific program
  • The child/youth must have a suspected or diagnosed physical, developmental and/or communication delay or disability

Program Specific Eligibility

  • The Centre offers a diverse range of programs and services. Eligibility can differ by program.
  • Please refer to our programs and services listing for program-specific eligibility criteria.
Questions?

If you have questions about eligibility or referrals, please call our Intake Coordinators at (905) 688-1890 ext. 110. 

How to Make a Referral

Parents and Legal Guardians

Call our Intake Coordinators at (905) 688-1890, ext. 110 for referrals to:

  • Core services of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language therapy for children ages 0-4* (*until August 31 of the year the child turns 4)
  • Augmentative and Alternative Communication Clinic
  • School-Age Active Rehabilitation Services
  • School-Aged Equipment Needs
  • Seating and Mobility Clinic
  • Social Work
  • SmartStart Hub
*For more information about these programs, see our A-Z listing.

We also have an online option for referrals to:

Ages 0-4 Speech-Language Pathology: Preschool Speech and Language Referral Portal
SmartStart Hub: SmartStart Hub Referral Portal

Don’t see the program you are interested in listed?

Parents and legal guardians of children already involved with Centre services can ask their child’s therapist(s) about eligibility for/referrals to any of the Centre’s additional programs and services. 

Physicians/Primary Care/Healthcare Providers

Physicians/Primary Care/Healthcare Providers are able to make referrals for most Centre programs/services (see Referral Form or Portal for list). Healthcare Providers refers to allied health professionals who work in hospitals/hospital-based clinics, Preschool Speech and Language Program or Children’s Treatment Centre staff, and HCCSS Care Coordinators.

Referrals can be made by:
  • Using the Niagara Children’s Centre/Smart Start Hub Physician/Primary Care/Healthcare Providers Referral Portal
  • Faxing a completed Niagara Children’s Centre/Smart Start Hub Physician/Primary Care/Healthcare Providers Referral Form to (905) 688-9181
Supporting Documents:
  • Niagara Children's Centre Birth to School Start (OT| PT | SLP) Referral Checklist

Local Community Partners

Registered Early Child Care Educators and Child Care Supervisors following Quality Child Care Niagara protocols can make referrals for speech-language assessment for children age 0-4* (*until August 31 of the year the child turns 4) by:

Designated local community partners can make referrals for the SmartStart Hub and/or core services of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language therapy for children age 0-4* (*until August 31 of the year the child turns 4). Designated local community partners refers to Contact Niagara, Health Babies Healthy Children, Infant and Child Development Services, Public Health Nurses, Resource Consultants, Pathstone, and Bethesda Children’s Services.

Community Partner referrals can be made by:

Supporting Documents for Designated Community Partners: 

Resource Consultant Program for EarlyON & French Services in Child Care Centres

The Resource Consultant services through Niagara Children’s Centre are geared towards supporting families who meet the service criteria for specialized supports, within EarlyON sites and within designated Child Care Centres across Niagara for French Services (outside of Welland/Pelham). In partnership with educators and support personnel, our Resource Consultants will provide formal/informal assessments and work in conjunction with a child’s team of specialists at Niagara Children’s Centre (as appropriate) to create goals and offer strategies to optimize each child’s development all within an inclusive, play-based group program at the EarlyON sites and designated Child Care Centres.

Les services de consultants en ressources offerts par le Centre pour l’enfant de Niagara visent à soutenir les familles qui répondent aux critères de service pour les soutiens spécialisés, dans un environnement d’apprentissage préscolaire au sein des Centres ON y va ou des centres de garde d’enfants désignés à l’extérieur de Welland et de Pelham. En partenariat avec le personnel de soutien à la petite enfance, nos consultants en ressources fourniront des évaluations formelles/informelles et travailleront en collaboration avec l’équipe de spécialistes de l’enfant au Centre pour l’enfant de Niagara (le cas échéant) pour créer des objectifs et proposer des stratégies visant à optimiser le développement de chaque enfant, le tout dans le cadre d’un programme de groupe inclusif basé sur le jeu dans les sites désignés.


Referrals can be made by EarlyON staff: EarlyON staff Referral Portal 

Referrals can be made by Designated Child Care Centres, across Niagara for French Services (outside of Welland/Pelham): Designated Child Care Centres - French Services