Early Birds

Early Birds is a personalized and unique program which include Specialized Services & Futureways. These programs service the diverse needs of children diagnosed with special needs.

• Specialized Services focuses on children 2–12 years with severe special needs
• Futureways focuses on children 8-12 years in Calgary & 12 – 18 years in Edmonton.

Our Early Bird program follows the values of the FSCD Act:

• Honour and respect the dignity and equal worth of children with disabilities.
• Recognize and value the ability of families to care for and to promote the development of their children with disabilities.
• Acknowledge the value of family-centered support and services in empowering and preserving families of children with disabilities.
• Recognize that the individual needs of children with disabilities are most effectively met through an integrated and multidisciplinary approach.
• Recognize the importance of facilitating the inclusion of children with disabilities in community life.

Areas of Focus - Early Birds focuses on several areas to ensure each child’s potential is being tapped into:

• Behavior
• Communication
• Imitation and Play Skills
• Social Interaction Skills
• Fine Motor Skills
• Gross Motor Skills
• Daily Living Skills

• Home based program.
• Run by a Clinical Supervisor & Coordinator (SLP or Psychologist with a Masters designation), who oversees the program, ensures that all goals are appropriate, and is responsible for acting as the parents liaison so concerns are adequately handled.
• Runs for the length of the child’s FSCD contract.
• Funded by FSCD- part of Calgary and Area Child and Family Services.
• Main goal of this community based programming is to assist the child and the family in developing the skills which promote independence in daily living activities, socialization, communication, play skills and sensory integration. Parental involvement in the programming is an integral part of the program.
• Early Birds also offers parent workshops (free of charge), where parents who attend are taught skills and techniques to use with their child, as well as giving parents a chance to network, share experiences, suggestions and ideas.

A child in Specialized Services may have access to a clinical team of therapists (as indicated in their Specialized Service Contracts) that include:

• Speech Language Pathologist
• Occupational Therapist
• Psychologist
• Physiotherapist
• Program Assistant

Each child will receive an Individual Program Plan (IPP), developed through consultation with the clinicians, the parents and the Aide which will include a list of goals to work on during the length of the FSCD contract. The IPP will include long term goals and strategies to try to achieve the goals. Each goal will include a baseline or a starting point so that progress can be monitored and evaluated throughout the year. The IPP is to be reviewed a minimum 2 times in a year by the family and the clinical team. The IPP is a document that is never set in stone and should always be considered to be a work in progress.