Special Needs
Funded Special Needs and Sensory RoomThe Sensory Room
Our Sensory Room is a wonderful addition to our program! This room is essential to provide and ensure a safe, non-threatening environment in order to calm or stimulate children through each of their senses. Many children need controlled environmental stimulation to engage in multi-sensory activities. The primary focus is to help children learn to relax, self-regulate, engage and communicate. At times, sensory signals do not get organized into appropriate responses in the brain. This can lead to difficulty in regulating emotional and behavioral responses or over/under reactive responses.
Self Regulation
What is Self Regulation?
It is the ability to attain, maintain and change states of arousal appropriately for a task or situation. When difficulties in self-regulation occur, the individual will have trouble changing the degree of alertness they feel, which in turn, compromises their optimal functioning.
Purpose
Sensory Rooms are specifically designed environments which create a very wide range of sensory experiences for children with additional needs in order to provide:
- Therapy
- Learning and fun
- Understanding cause and effect
- Relaxation
- Development of eye-hand coordination
All of this can be manifested in many ways through:
- Sound
- Tactile Experience
- Movement
- Visual Effects
Amenities
- Bubble tube
- Marble Wall
- Fibre Optics
- Tactile Wall
- Projection Wall
- Vibrating Platform Bed
Funding for Special Needs
Supported child care and PUF funding for children with developmental needs
A special component of our programs is the integration of children with special needs into our Daycare, Pre-K and Kindergarten programs. We work closely with Children’s Allied Health Services Therapists. Arrangements can be made for the Therapists to visit a child with special needs here at Agape.
In programs, we create an individual program plan (IPP) which outline the goals set by the Therapists and the families. Families are given opportunities to meet with the Teacher, Classroom staff and Therapists and/or other community agencies involved throughout the year as needed. We believe the Team approach is the best way to go!
PUF Services
The Pre-K and Kindergarten programs access funding through Alberta Education called Program Unit Funding (PUF). The funding covers the cost of the additional Teacher assistance needed for a child to participate fully in our programs. The funding also covers speech and language therapy as well as other specialized resources needed to assist the child’s development.
We also have the sensory room that Pre-K and Kindergarten children can access. It meets the sensory and brain stimulation needs in ways the classroom cannot.
Supported Child Care
The Daycare program (starting at 13 months up to 6 years of age) can access Supported Child Care Funding through Southwest Child and Family Services. This funding would cover the cost of a staff enhancement and/or other resources needed to meet the needs of the individual child. The enhancement makes the necessary modifications to the program so that a child can participate fully in the program.
