Caregiver Mediated Early Years Program

Caregiver-Mediated Early Years programs help young children learn early communication and play skills by coaching their caregivers on how to effectively encourage and promote these skills during their daily routines.

If your child is between 1-3 years old, registered in the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) and also have a letter from the OAP, they are eligible for this program.

KidsAbility’s Social Communication Emotional Regulation and Transactional Supports (SCERTS)

At KidsAbility, we offer a program called Social Communication Emotional Regulation and Transactional Supports (SCERTS). Parents or caregivers can ask to get these services from KidsAbility. Together, we’ll work on strategies and techniques tailored to your child’s needs.

We aim to build parents’ and caregivers’ skills in helping their child in areas such as:

• Social Interaction
• Play
• Communication
• Emotional Development
• Adaptive Development
• Self-Help Skills

SCERTS is a virtual program based on child development and Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). It helps parents and caregivers develop their child’s social communication and emotional regulation skills. Coaches work with you during everyday family routines and activities such as:

• Social play (peek-a-boo, songs, hide and seek)
• Play with props (balls, blanket, swing)
• Play with toys (blocks, puzzles, playdough, trains)
• Meals and snacks (sitting at the table, clean up)
• Caregiving activities (bathing, diaper changes, handwashing)
• Family chores (picking up, getting the mail)
• Books (shapes, colours, numbers)
• Transitions from one activity to another

The coach guides and supports you to engage your child and improve their communication, social, play, self-help, and emotional regulation.

These services are free, and you won’t need to use your OAP funding. Plus, your child’s place on the OAP waitlist for Core Clinical Services will stay secure.