While March is Social Work Month, the impact Registered Social Workers make can be felt throughout the year.   The Social Work Team at Lansdowne Children’s Centre are professionally trained to support families to cope with the impact of illness, disability and complex health needs. This may include adjusting to a diagnosis or navigating new life pathways. Social Workers guide individuals and families  to make use of strategies to help cope with life’s many challenges, includi

Lansdowne Children’s Centre is always grateful to the community partners who choose to support us and the work we do. Recently, Mark Spencer and his team at St. George Arms made a donation of $3,002. Lynda Henriksen, Director of Development and Community Relations at Lansdowne, explained that the gift was half of the proceeds from a raffle the restaurant had held, with an equal amount going to Stedman Community Hospice. Lynda noted that this was the third consecutive year th

Michele Brayshaw knew her professional calling early in life. For as long as she can remember, “I just always knew I wanted to work with kids with special needs and their families,” she said. “I went to school with some kids who had special needs that were integrated right into our programs.” Integration and meaningful inclusion have always been central to her professional philosophy. In her post-secondary education, Michele studied Early Childhood Education, and for a time w

Fidget quilts are a beautiful combination of form and function. Members of the Brant Heritage Quilters Guild (BHQG) have been making these types of quilts for about two decades. Sue Baldauf joined the guild in 2002, and has held several roles in the group’s executive, including president. She noted that the concept of touch quilts – precursors to fidget quilts – was first brought to the guild by member Trudy Baumgarten. “The touch quilts were certainly trendy,” Sue said, add

Stacey Muller is using her photography business to support families like hers who have a child with Autism. Autism Awareness Day is on April 2, and in recognition of that, Stacey is offering mini photo sessions at her Brantford studio. Each session is a minimum $20 donation; all of the donations will be given to Lansdowne Children’s Centre. In an online post, Stacey shared, “As many of you know, our son has been diagnosed over the years with autism, epilepsy, and other neurol

When Christine Nesbitt won the gold medal for the 1,000 metre women’s speed skating, she purposely sought out a flag that had been signed by students. Years ago, occupational therapist (OT) Shannon Harvey was working in a classroom, helping the students work on their printing. As part of the exercise, “Everyone got to sign a Canadian flag,” Harvey said. The flag was subsequently sent with Team Canada to the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. Harvey said that when she saw the news cover

Tina Shackell, together with close friends, presented Lansdowne Children’s Centre with a generous donation honouring her son’s life and legacy. Dylan received support from Lansdowne Children’s Centre for many years and is remembered as a bright light – cherished deeply, and whose spirit continues to inspire all who knew him.

The Knights of Columbus Brantford ’s Charity Fundraising Breakfast raised a record‑breaking $4,500 for Lansdowne Children’s Centre – WOW! On behalf of the children and families who will benefit because of these funds, we extend a big, heartfelt thank you to every volunteer, supporter, and community member who made this possible. You are the heart, strength, and spirit behind our caring community.

It’s important every so often to pause and take stock of what you’re doing well, and where you can improve. “At Lansdowne, one of our foundational goals is to provide family-centered services. We can only do this with feedback from the families we serve. "This crucial insight from families helps to inform opportunities for improvement and celebration across all our sites." " We are grateful for the time families take to complete this annual survey to help us meet the needs of

The Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Regional Cancer Program’s Mobile Cancer Screening Coach is returning to Lansdowne Children’s Centre’s Brantford site on Tuesday, March 3. The coach can provide screening mammograms and cervical screenings on site, as well as help accessing an at-home poop test to screen for colon cancer, and resources to help quit smoking. These services are provided free of charge. For more information on the cancer screening services, visit hnhbregionalc

Natasha Kramer, resource consultant with Lansdowne Children’s Centre, was one of the experts interviewed for a recent Brantford Expositor article highlighting the Kickstart to Kindergarten program being offered in Grand Erie. As the piece by local journalist Brian Thompson notes, Grand Erie District School Board (GEDSB) is hosting events until the end of March where children who are going to be entering school in September can get an early taste of the classroom. It’s also an

Through a partnership with Mission Thrift Store in Brantford, the participants in the new Lansdowne Children’s Centre Venture into Volunteering Therapeutic Recreation program have been experiencing greater connection to their community. When you’re a volunteer, you’re part of the greater community – it’s all about forging connections for common goals. The participants in the new Lansdowne Children’s Centre Venture into Volunteering Therapeutic Recreation program have been exp

Lacey L. Bakker is the owner of Pandamonium Publishing House, which has published over 150 titles to date. Pandamonium has worked with 60 authors and 15 illustrators and graphic designers over the past decade.  For Family Literacy Day on January 27, we asked Lacey to give us some insights into the Canadian publishing world. Q. Tell us how Pandamonium got started. A. Pandamonium Publishing House was officially hatched on October 1, 2015 (a decade ago!) and it started with one

After 35 years of working at Lansdowne Children’s Centre – most recently in the role of Program Supervisor for Respite Services – Annemarie Krauss is taking a well-deserved retirement.

As reported by local journalist Vincent Ball in the Brantford Expositor, the contribution will be made over the course of five years to support the construction of the agency’s new centre...

Brantford Police Service (BPS) has introduced Project: Bright Future, a community-focused initiative that turns routine police interactions into opportunities to give back.

It was a night to celebrate the creativity, hard work and dedication of the members of Lansdowne’s Therapeutic Recreation program as the annual Artists’ Gala returned to the Branlyn Community Centre on Nov. 21.

A group of staff and guests from Lansdowne recently ventured to Ivor Wynne Stadium to watch the Hamilton Tiger-Cats football team go up against the Ottawa Redblacks as part of a staff appreciation event. At the game, the group from Lansdowne was invited to be part of the on-field unfurling of the field-sized Canadian flag for the national anthem and met with a number of the Ticats’ cheerleaders after the game; Lansdowne also got a shoutout on the jumbotron during the game. I

More than a party, Halls of Halloween was also very much part of the therapy and support children receive through Lansdowne Children's Centre.

Lynda Henriksen is Lansdowne Children’s Centre’s new Director of Development and Community Relations. Her journey into fundraising began when she was nine years old. Inspired by radio personality Casey Kasem, who encouraged kids to help other kids by raising funds for muscular dystrophy, Lynda sent away for a fundraising kit designed for children to host their own events. “We held a carnival event in our backyard, complete with pony rides,” she recalled. Her early experiences