It's a busy month, with many holidays and awareness days throughout April. Join us in recognizing Autism Acceptance Month, as we celebrate differences and encourage tangible action to support and include autistic individuals. Read more about Autism Acceptance Month and other dates of significance below.

Also this month, a rare celestial event brings excitement across the globe: a total solar eclipse will occur on April 8. As a safety precaution, all Grandview Kids are closing at 12:00 p.m. (noon) on April 8, with appointments converted to virtual in the afternoon, where possible. This avoids travel time for staff, clients and families during the eclipse.

Our approach mirrors other Children’s Treatment Centres (CTCs) across the province, as well as regional school boards. Be advised: looking directly at the sun without proper protection can cause serious eye damage. Learn more with resources from the Canadian Space Agency.

There is also less than a month to apply for an EKO Scholarship. Every year, the association representing Ontario’s publicly funded child development and rehabilitation providers – Empowered Kids Ontario (EKO) – gives out scholarships to youth with disabilities to support them in pursuing education programs. If you (or your child) currently or previously received Grandview Kids services, you (they) are eligible. Apply online by April 30. We are proud that a Grandview grad has been a scholarship recipient every year since the program was implemented!

And finally, as we launch our new fiscal year, stay tuned for a special circulation to our Gather readers later this month, as we release our new, 2024-27 Strategic Plan. A core focus of the Plan will be delivering meaningful, efficient client and caregiver experiences. We look forward to showcasing how we will action this commitment over the next three years.  

Karen J. receiving the 2023 Power of One Award from Grandview Kids Board of Trustees Chair Jeremy Harness and Grandview Kids CEO Tom McHugh

Sincerely,

Tom McHugh

CEO, Grandview Kids

Finding our village: Kristen and Ace's story

As we celebrate Autism Acceptance Month in April, Kristen describes how finding her “village” was transformational after her son, Ace, was diagnosed as Autistic. Through Grandview Kids, Kristen shares how she found “a village where our children can be their authentic selves and where we caregivers can laugh or cry without judgment depending on what season we are currently navigating.” Read more about how Kristen is helping other parents build their own village on the blog.

A journey to acceptance:

Danielle's story

A mom to three autistic children, Grandview mom, Danielle, shares how she moved to acceptance of her children’s diagnoses and the impact on their lives, saying, “We presume competence while providing support. We allow them to tell us who they are and what they want to do with their lives. I thought my life was over when my kids were diagnosed, and in some ways, it was. That life had to end for a new life to be discovered.” Read more on the blog as we celebrate Autism Acceptance Day.

A journey to acceptance:

Danielle's story

A mom to three autistic children, Grandview mom, Danielle, shares how she moved to acceptance of her children’s diagnoses and the impact on their lives, saying, “We presume competence while providing support. We allow them to tell us who they are and what they want to do with their lives. I thought my life was over when my kids were diagnosed, and in some ways, it was. That life had to end for a new life to be discovered.” Read more on the blog as we celebrate Autism Acceptance Day April 2.

Program Spotlight: Autism Program

The programs and services offered through the OAP at Grandview Kids include: 

• Caregiver-Mediated Early Years Programs: Supports families with children ages 12 to 48 months, helping them learn new skills and meet individualized goals. Parents and caregivers will learn therapeutic strategies and specific techniques from professionals based on their child’s needs. Funded through the OAP at no cost to parents. Learn more> 
• Entry to School Program: Helps autistic children prepare to enter school for the first time (kindergarten or grade 1). The Program has two components: building a child's school readiness skills and supporting their transition to school. Funded through the OAP at no cost to parents. Learn more> 
• Foundational Family Services: Free workshops for parents/caregivers, informed by evidence and delivered by our Autism Services Team, covering a range of topics from Communication Success, to an Introduction to Toilet Training, to Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) at Home and many more. Learn more> 
• Core Clinical Services: Core Clinical Services is one of the streams of support for children and youth registered in the OAP. Based on your child’s needs, these Core Clinical Services can include Purchased Services at Grandview Kids. We currently offer applied behaviour analysis, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, mental health services (e.g., counselling and/or psychotherapy), and technology, program materials and/or therapy equipment at the recommendation of a regulated professional or Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA). Learn more> 

Review our offerings in our Autism Program Fact Sheet or online at grandviewkids.ca/services-programs/autism-program.

IMPORTANT: Visit AccessOAP.ca to register for the Ontario Autism Program. You need an OAP number to access the Autism Program at Grandview Kids.

If you have questions about registering your child, call AccessOAP toll-free at 1-833-425-2445 or email them at info@AccessOAP.ca.

Upcoming events, programs and workshops

Family Engagement

VIRTUAL: SSAH Paperwork Party

When: Thursday, April 11 at 6:30 p.m.

Paperwork is better together! Join us virtually for a walk-through of the Special Service at Home (SSAH) application. We will answer your questions and provide feedback from our lived experience. This application is submitted online, so you will need to use a laptop/tablet or cellphone with internet access. 

Register here!

IN-PERSON: Caregiver Café

When: Thursday, April 25, 6-8:00 p.m.

Hosted by the Family Engagement Team. Participate in informal networking, with an opportunity to ask questions, meet other parents and make memories. In-person from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Grandview Kids Oshawa Main Site (600 Townline Rd S, Oshawa). 

Register here!

Spring recreation programs

LEGO® Club

Program dates: Every Wednesday from April 3 to May 22 for children/youth ages 9 to 16

LEGO® Club is a fun, structured social skill opportunity designed for children and youth with developmental disabilities, including Autism, who enjoy creating with standard LEGO® bricks.

Benefits of this program include: 

• Advocating for oneself, such as asking for help.
• Conversation initiation with others.
• Learning to take accountability for one's actions.
• Developing creativity and curiosity.

Fun, Friends and Fitness 

Dates: Every Monday from April 8 to June 3 (except Monday, May 20) for children/youth

ages 7 to 16 

This program is for children and youth with developmental needs, including Autism. Try basketball, soccer, baseball, hockey and racket sports in a safe and fun environment. Staffed by our Physical Literacy Coordinator and Recreation Therapy Assistants, this program promotes physical activity, physical literacy and socialization through group participation.

Through Fun, Fitness and Friends, your child will develop improved: 

• fundamental motor skills
• object control skills
• balance
• coordination

From the Archives

Grandview Kids produced a client and family newsletter over the years, which went by different names, such as "Grandview Grapevine" and "Grandviews." As we’ve gone through our newsletter archives, many of the themes and topics important to families have stayed the same throughout the last 30+ years (our first newsletter on record was September 1990).  

In our Winter 1995 issue (pictured below, left), we started a section called “Helpful hints” (pictured below, right). This section included common questions families had about accessing information or community resources, featuring responses from other families. This peer-to-peer support still exists today, but in an updated format! 

Our Online Parent Support (OPS) pages connect Grandview caregivers to each other, swapping tips, tricks and insights to help out others on their journey. You must be a caregiver of a Grandview client to join this closed group. If you don’t use social media (the OPS page operates on Facebook), you can still access resources with the help of our Family Engagement Team.

To join the OPS page or hear about ways to connect to other Grandview parents, email familyengagement@grandviewkids.ca.

PLUS: You can submit your questions to be answered by Team Grandview or other clients/caregivers in Gather via this online survey We want to hear

from you!

Dates of significance

Every month, members of Team Grandview’s Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee research and share blog posts about holidays, cultural celebrations, awareness days, and other dates of significance that are meaningful to staff, clients, caregivers, partners and the community.

In April, we acknowledge Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month, Deaf History Month, Autism Acceptance Month, Sexual Assault Awareness Month, International Asexuality Day, Green Shirt Day, World Health Day, National Siblings Day, World Day for Safety and Health at Work and National Immunization Awareness Week. Read more on our blog>

We also acknowledge many holidays and celebrations this month, including Eid-al-Fitr, Vaisakhi, Tamil New Year and Pesach/Passover. Read more on our blog> 

Research and Innovation

Childhood Cerebral Palsy Neuroscience Discovery Network (CP-NET)



Video recordings from the 10th annual CP-NET Science and Family Day 2023 are available on topics such as: 

• Relationships between families and service providers 
• CP-NET Updates 
• Relationships with other people (siblings and friends)  
• Relationships with and within the community (school and employment) 

CP-NET has entered Phase 4 of the project! If you have a child who is diagnosed with cerebral palsy, please see the attached photo for an opportunity to share your experiences!

Annual Golf Fore Grandview Kids Charity Golf Classic: Thursday, May 30, 2024

FORE! Our 28th Annual Golf Fore Grandview Kids Charity Golf Classic is almost here! On May 30, join us for a day of laughter, excitement and camaraderie at Deer Creek Golf and Banquet Facility. Register here.

To learn more about the event, registration or sponsorship opportunities, email our Community Engagement and Donor Relations Officer, Lisa Pargetter! 

We have a brand new monthly e-newsletter

Grandview Kids Foundation has a new monthly e-newsletter, Believe by Grandview Kids Foundation. This carefully curated newsletter is dedicated to maintaining a strong connection with our remarkable community members and devoted donors. Believe has been meticulously designed to provide you with timely updates on upcoming events, showcase the generosity of our donors, present heartwarming family impact stories, and deliver exciting news that will undoubtedly captivate your interest.

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Content in Gather is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor. Views expressed in posts and resources listed do not signify endorsement by Grandview Kids.