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Occupational Therapy at Lansdowne focuses on helping infants, children and youth develop and optimize their fine motor skills and participation in daily living activities. These activities may include grasping, feeding, dressing, grooming or play skills. All Services Index REHABILITATION SERVICES Occupational Therapy at Lansdowne Children's Centre in Brantford, Caledonia, Dunnville and Simcoe Start Referral What is Occupational Therapy? (OT) Occupational Therapists (OT) at Lansdowne Children's Centre work with infants, children and youth. and their families, to improve skills and participation in daily activities. OT focuses on fine motor skills, typically thought of as the use of hands and upper extremities. Fine motor skills include activities such as reaching, grasping and manipulating objects with your hands, and can also involve vision, specifically visual motor skills, often referred to as hand-eye coordination. Areas we work on in occupational therapy: Feeding (using a fork or spoon or cup) Self-care (getting dressed, brushing hair, brushing teeth) Playing (gripping toys, stacking blocks) Printing and drawing (using a pencil or crayon) Cutting with scissors (using tools effectively) Emotional regulation (getting calm, alert, and ready to learn, play and/or interact with others) Occupational Therapy Supports click on an image to learn more 1 1 ... 1 ... 1 Occupational Therapy at Lansdowne (OT) School-Based Occupational Therapy (SBRS-OT) What are HITS Teams? Access FREE resources online Connect with streaming videos, printable tip sheets and home-based activities based on proven universal strategies to help your child's development. PLUS, connect with community-based resources and services. Open Resources What is an Occupational Therapist? Occupational therapists (OT) are health care professionals who help people to resume or maintain participation in a variety of tasks – their occupations (jobs), leisure and social activities, getting around, caring for themselves and their home, and much more. A child's occupation is to play, and to learn through play, so an occupational therapist will help an infant/child/youth to reach their potential in developing skills necessary to enage with their environment and the people and objects around them. What is an Occupational Therapy Assistant? Occupational therapy assistants (OTA) work under the direction of an occupational therapist to provide a treatment plan for each client. This may include activities such as teaching a client and their family the proper way to move from a bed into a wheelchair, how to do therapeutic exercises, or complete daily living tasks. READY FOR REFERRAL? CLICK HERE You Belong Here. Are you passionate about working with infants, children and youth to help realize their potential? Are you seeking a career in pediatrics? Join our team at Lansdowne Children's Centre for child development. Careers

Join Isla's fundraising mission. Add your support for Lansdowne Children's Centre and families of children and youth with special needs in Brantford, Brant County, Haldimand, Norfolk, Six Nations of the Grand River, and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. Home Join the 7th Annual Lansdowne Heroes Walk & Roll October 4, 2025 | Brant Park, Brantford Contact Us Donate Lansdowne Client Ambassadors for the 2025 Heroes Walk and Roll This is their Lansdowne story. In some ways, ‘It’s a much slower-paced life’ raising a child with cerebral palsy, says Isla Clarke’s parents Isla Clarke is an active and vivacious four-year-old. “She likes baking; she likes helping with the mixing and decorating,” said mom Nicole Clarke. “She is really into imaginative play right now, so food prep in general, but you have to call and order a pizza, then she makes it, and she always puts anchovies on it, even though we say no anchovies, and she laughs at us.” Isla also enjoys expressing herself creatively, especially through painting and dancing. She likes playing; she likes to be busy,” Nicole said, adding with a laugh, “On a really good day, she likes to cuddle on the couch with me for like five minutes at a time, and that’s beautiful.” In a lot of ways, Isla is a typical kid. But as a child with cerebral palsy (CP), there are also a lot of ways that the experience of raising her has proven to be more unique for Nicole and Cody Clarke, Isla’s dad. Cody said that instead of seeing Isla make the “big leaps (in development) that some kids make,” her advancements might be more nuanced and subtle. “(But) it’s still a win,” he said. “I forget who it was, but somebody referred to celebrating inchstones instead of milestones.” He noted that when you’re expecting a baby, “you start to envision the things you're going to do with them, and the way it's going to go.” But when the news came that Isla would be growing up with a disability, “It was very complicated for me to try to rearrange that thought into what the new way is going to look like. But that changed very quickly, and now it just seems a lot more clear at this point.” Nicole added, “You are mourning something for a bit. You had this idea in your mind and that’s completely out the window. So now you're celebrating these little things that you never thought youwould. But I think it's more exciting.” In some ways, she added, “It’s a much slower-paced life.” It helps to have supports. Isla was born in early 2021, about seven and a half weeks premature. She spent a month in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Brantford General Hospital. “She was so tiny,” Cody said, adding that while the staff at the hospital were great, it was still a hard time for the young family. “It was weird, just having your first child born, and then you go home with nothing.” Cody and Nicole visited Isla every day, but COVID-19 restrictions at the hospital meant “Nobody could meet her” as far as the extended family was concerned, Nicole said. Soon after Isla came home, it was apparent that she was missing typical developmental milestones, such as rolling over and sitting independently. She was initially referred to Lansdowne Children’s Centre for physiotherapy; her first appointment was in November 2021. Around the age of one, she had an MRI, which confirmed that she had CP. “And that's when we joined every area of Lansdowne,” Nicole said. Reflecting on those earlier days, she urged families who are newer to Lansdowne to “Trust the process; it’s not always the most fun, but it gets somewhere,” adding, “They know what they’re doing here.” Connecting with Lansdowne was a boon for Cody and Nicole as well. Cody explained that when Isla was first diagnosed, “There were just a lot of unknowns. We didn't really know what that meant, or what the future would hold, or how we would deal with things. (Lansdowne was) just a good resource to guide us along and try to help us figure out what the next few years would look like, as far as what support was going to be needed.” With having CP, Isla sees multiple different specialists and doctors. Cody said being connected to Lansdowne, “has just been helpful (in) trying to piece all that together and figure out what would be needed.” Nicole added, “They make it less overwhelming, because I don’t know where to start, but then they kind of do all the legwork for you,” and help with filling out paperwork to get funding to meet Isla’s needs, particularly when it comes to equipment. “The cost of a wheelchair was an eye-opener,” Nicole said, adding that her daughter is currently on her fourth pair of ankle foot orthoses (AFOs), which cost several thousand dollars each. Lansdowne was able to help facilitate getting equipment loaned to Isla’s preschool, and on her first day of kindergarten, Lansdowne physiotherapist Stephanie Fox spent several hours at the school “adjusting the new equipment to Isla's specifications as well as helping the school staff become acquainted with how to use it,” Cody said. Having the same equipment at home and school is essential, because it fosters consistency and routine. Nicole noted that the commode in particular was important for this when she was in preschool. “Obviously, it's a little hard to teach her you go to potty at home, but then at daycare, it's diapers. … that was huge,” Nicole said. The equipment also makes sure Isla is fully integrated in her classroom. As an example, Cody noted that the Rifton Activity Chair can adjust to fit under tables as well as right down to the floor, so Isla can always be at the same height as her peers. “She’s not left out,” Nicole said. She added that they appreciated Lansdowne’s help in sourcing the secondary pieces of equipment for Isla’s use at her preschool, because “trying to buy two of everything, we’d go bankrupt.” Now that Isla has started kindergarten, both Cody and Nicole want to do everything they can to help her build as much independence as possible. Cody said, “I think we have to try to push her a little more and get out of our routine a little bit more.” This has included things like having Isla feed herself at mealtimes, even though it can take longer. “We’ve got to give her a little more credit,” he said. Nicole agreed. “She’s not going to learn if we keep doing for her.” As she continues to grow and learn, Isla is taking on two big roles this year. One already happened, when she became a big sister to baby brother Bennett. “He’s definitely Isla’s little sidekick,” Cody said. She will tell her parents when she hears him crying, and will make sure he has a blanket when he’s in the swing. Isla’s next big role will be on Oct. 4, when she serves as Lansdowne Heroes Walk and Roll Ambassador. As Tamie Aubin, Lansdowne’s Director of Client Services noted, “The funds raised (through Heroes Walk and Roll) help ease the financial burden for families caring for children with special needs – covering costs associated with attending therapy sessions, accessing essential equipment, and inclusive programs that allow kids to connect, play, and thrive.” Aubin said she’s attended the event a number of times, and for her, the most moving part of the celebration is hearing the impact Lansdowne has had on the ambassadors and their families. “Their stories are powerful, and their presence is a testament to the difference we can make when we support one another. … The children and families we serve are the true heroes – and Heroes Walk and Roll is a chance to celebrate them, support them, and walk alongside them.”

Brantford/Brant County - Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation - Six Nations of the Grand River FAMILY ENGAGEMENT All Services Index FAMILY ENGAGEMENT Lansdowne Event Calendar Eligibility Open Calendar Goals, Skills and Keywords Expectations You Belong Here. Are you passionate about working with infants, children and youth to help realize their potential? Are you seeking a career in pediatrics? Join our team at Lansdowne Children's Centre for child development. Careers

Kids need to grow, and so do we. To improve service access and equity, and better serve the booming population in our region, Lansdowne Children's Centre is pursuing approvals to build a new children's treatment centre facility in Brantford. #ForTheKids Event Calendar News Blog Service Guide Resources Work With Us About Us Centre Board Contact Us Kids need to grow, and so do we. Lansdowne is ready to grow, and we need your support. Please add your name to this letter of support for a NEW Lansdowne Children's Centre facility in Brantford, addressed to Hon. Minister Michael Parsa at the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. CLICK THE IMAGE OF THE LETTER TO EXPAN D AND PREVIEW Share This Story Show Your Support... I am proud to offer my support for Lansdowne Children's Centre's request for Stage 1 planning approval, and respectfully ask that you prioritize Lansdowne through your Ministry’s results-based planning process later this year. Signed, First name Last name Email Place of residence Choose an option Write a message Submit I am proud to offer my support for Lansdowne Children's Centre... 590 Page 1 Jatinkumar in Brantford Please help to share our story. Click on an image to like it or share it on your social media. The population of our region is BOOMING . We are thrilled to welcome so many new families into Brantford, Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk. As demand for our services and supports GROWS, so does our need to GROW in response. It is time to build a NEW Lansdowne Children's Centre. The current wait list for services at Lansdowne Children’s Centre exceeds 2,449 children , nearly double the volume since pre-pandemic 2019. There is no more room to compromise. Board Member Mike Gatopolous is a parent of a child who attends Lansdowne. Mike is an active advocate, sharing the impact that Lansdowne services, resources and supports provided his family, and the purgatory of time spent on a waitlist. Seen here at a January 2023 meeting of Brant County council. Rogers TV20 (Kitchener/Brantford) produced this community feature, including comments from MPP Brantford-Brant Will Bouma and Executive Director Rita-Marie Hadley at the June 2023 Lansdowne annual general meeting. Brantford city councillors give $2M boost to Lansdowne Children's Centre's new home 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... Dec 11, 2025 1 in 10 children need help finding their voice | Speech Services at Lansdowne A parent's success story finding support for their child's development with Lansdowne Children's Centre, speech services Dec 2, 2025 A PATH TO POSSIBILITY: Joining families in exploring a child's potential It’s little things in young lives that often create the biggest moments. For Julie Neal, finding the right equipment to empower her daughter Tenley to join in a family dance party was a big moment. Dec 2, 2025 Unveiling of site for new Lansdowne Children’s Centre celebrated The mood was celebratory as the location for Lansdowne Children’s Centre’s new purpose-built children’s treatment centre was unveiled on Aug. 8. Dignitaries, board members, clients and their families, staff, longtime supporters, and other well-wishers gathered at 168 Colborne Street, the site adjacent to the current location at 39 Mount Pleasant Street, to celebrate the announcement. Brantford-Brant MPP Dr. Will Bouma Brantford-Brant MPP Dr. Will Bouma noted that Lansdowne i Aug 10, 2025 Open house, public information meeting for new Lansdowne centre at 168 Colborne St. West Members of the community are invited to preview drawings and plans for the proposed new Lansdowne Children's Centre for child development at 168 Colborne St West, City of Brantford. Aug 8, 2025 Ontario Builds a Brighter Future for Children with New Lansdowne Children’s Centre in Brantford A transformative new chapter in child development and family-centred care is unfolding in Brantford, Ontario, as Lansdowne Children’s Centre unveils the proposed location for construction of a new purpose-built children’s treatment centre Aug 8, 2025 The analysis in 2020 reported that the current Lansdowne space-needs are nearly triple the amount of space available in our 57-year old building. Children are Paying the Price and Can’t Keep Waiting: • Children in our community have had vital procedures delayed, suffered learning losses, and experienced devastating impacts on their physical and mental development. • These problems will continue to get worse without expansion. The challenges Lansdowne children face will only compound as they age and become more difficult to address. Everyday Matters in the Life of a Child: • Only one in three kids in Ontario receive services within the clinical standard, with the majority waiting almost three years to access services. • At Lansdowne Children's Centre in Brantford that ratio is only one in four kids. • Families are falling further behind and wait lists are longer than they have ever been. • Long wait times and limited resources are not new barriers to timely care, but these barriers have increased significantly since the pandemic began. It’s Time to Champion Children’s Healthcare: • By acting quickly, we can stop children from suffering and start their healing. • Children deserve a strong system of care that provides the care they need, when they need it, and where they need it. Dream Board | Architect Concept Art Spacious, open concept areas for connectivity, with access to daylight. Outdoor recreation areas designed with enhanced sensory environments. Spaces for individual and group play. Dedicated treatment and assessment areas, designed for program delivery. Universally accessible washrooms. Spaces to meet and work. Enhanced sensory environments for client therapy and recreation. Spaces that are calming and comfortable. With a new facility we can address serious limitations. We can: Offer improved accessibility at ground level and reach new heights in a multi-storey design, including consideration for the access and mobility needs of our clients and staff. Reduce wait time and welcome even more clients and their families to our expanded assessment and treatment facilities, with more capacity to grow our team of dedicated staff; Reduce environmental dangers by providing adequate on-site parking for all families and staff; reducing exposure to increasingly busy side streets and improved visibility at entrance and exit; Reduce travel time for client families by hosting more services, including sensory environment, respite and group activitieis on-site, while also reducing costs by eliminating rental fees; Host more group meetings, community events and recreation programs in expanded meeting rooms and recreation facilities, specially desiged to accomodate the needs of our clients; Deliver a more equitable, quality experience for clients and their families, in a comfortable modern environment without compromise to care and privacy. Together we can impact change in the lives of many families in our community in pursuit of our mission, to support infants, children and youth with physical, developmental or communication needs, and their families, and our vision, realizing the optimal potential for infants, children and youth. A New Lansdowne, A Community Effort The preparation for the new-build Lansdowne proposal included a full day visioning workshop to establish a direction for the redevelopment of Lansdowne Chi ldren's Centre. Hosted in December 2019 with Montgomery Sisam Architects, over 100 Lansdowne staff and community members, including the Mayors of Brant County, the City of Brantford and other City staff, came and offered their opinions on the test plans and the visioning boards. Each participant was also provided with three Red Dots that they could place on any portion of a given panel to anonymously indicate a preference. Of the Visioning Boards presented, the most dialogue centered around the Sensory Environment of the building as well as the different Open Office solutions for staff workspace. Feedback was universal in stating that the building should be as non-institutional as possible and that the environment should be engaging to the full age range of the clients who will use the building. Invest in their future. To learn how, CLICK HERE

Give Today Ways To Give Meet The Kids Partner Profiles Impact Report Our Board Contact Us < Back ZOE 2022 Lansdowne Charity Motorcycle Ride Ambassador "My name is Zoe. I am a 12 year old loving with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a motor neuron disease that affects the voluntary muscles in my body. My condition causes me to have weakness throughout my body and confines me to a power wheelchair to get around. Make no mistake though – I live my life to the fullest! I love spending time with my friends and siblings, love school, camping, baking and so much more. I really love the recreation programs at Lansdowne and have made some great friendships with the other children and staff. This is a place free of judgment that helps me explore my independence and creativity. We are thankful for the programming at the Centre!" - Zo(e) Through these programs, Zoe is able to see that she is not alone. She is free from judgment, and she feels valued, and a sense of belonging. She has made friendships with other children (and even the staff!), explored her creativity and independence, learned new things, and most of all, had so much fun and made so many memories. Along with the rec programs, Zoe also accesses physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and social workers, all of which has helped her tremendously. They have helped our family navigate through endless paperwork to get Zoe all of the equipment and support she needs. "We truly don't know what we do without the help of Lansdowne. Zoe is thrilled to be this year's ambassador so she can show her praise for Lansdowne and all they have done for her and our family." - Mom, Mandy The children and families of Lansdowne thank you for your support. Dontate Today Contact Us

Autism Services at Lansdowne Children's Centre has been trusted Autism service and support provider in Brantford and Brant County since 2004. Where To Start? #1 Is your child newly diagnosed? Here are some helpful resources as you work to become more familiar with Autism. Autism Ontario: Home Autism Speaks Canada: Hom e Geneva Centre for Autism OAP (Ontario Autism Program) 100 Day Tool Kit for Families of Newly Diagnosed Young Children (PDF <3MB) Are you looking to speak with someone? You can reach our Family Support Worker by phone at 519-753-3153 ext 268 or by email at autism@lansdownecc.com or call Autism Ontario at 1-800-472-7789 Welcome to Autism Services at Lansdowne Children's Centre in Brantford #2 Are you eligible for the Ontario Autism Program (OAP)? To be eligible to register for the Ontario Autism Program, your child must: Be under age 18 Currently live in Ontario Have a written diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder from a qualified professional Your child’s written diagnosis must include: Your child’s full name and date of birth The date of your child’s assessment A statement indicating that the child meets the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder The qualified professional’s name and credentials First Steps for Families Are you looking for help with registration paperwork? Call our Autism Services Family Support Worker at 519-753-3153 ext. 268 #3 Are you registered for the Ontario Autism Program? Register for OAP You must fill out and submit the Ontario Autism Program registration form, provided by the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (the Ministry). Your child or youth must meet the program eligibility criteria to be registered. Contact the Ministry’s central intake and registration team (CIRT) by emailing oap@ontario.ca or calling 1-888-444-4530. You do not need to register again if you have previously registered your child for the Ontario Autism Program. Your child’s registration date is based on when the Ministry receives your registration form and all supporting documents. The registration list is controlled and monitored by the Ministry and Lansdowne staff is not able to access this information. #4 Are you registered with Lansdowne Autism Services? If you are interested in Autism services at Lansdowne or purchasing individual treatment, you will need to register directly with Lansdowne Autism Services. This list is internally controlled and we can let you know if you are currently on our list to purchase treatment. Registration for the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) or other Lansdowne services (i.e. Speech), does not automatically register you with Autism Services. Please complete a referral form with our SmartStart Hub team to get connected with Autism Services. You can complete the online form, OR call our team at 519.753.3153 x507. Complete a Referral Form Register for Fee-for-Service Childhood Budgets/ One Time Funding Childhood budgets provide money directly to you to purchase the services and supports that are most important to you and your child. CLICK HERE for a list of eligible expenses. including purchasing behavioural services, as well as other areas where you can spend your funding has been compiled. Families with children under age six are eligible to receive $20,000 per child. Families with children aged six and older are eligible to receive $5,000 per child. Families who accept a childhood budget can be assured that their child’s position on the provincial waitlist will be maintained for entry into the new needs-based, sustainable Ontario Autism Program. CLICK HERE for OAP information sessions, online If you have received a childhood budget, you may be eligible to receive interim one-time funding after submitting your expense form and if you have not yet transitioned into core services in the new needs-based Autism program. Learn more about the available FREE Foundational Family Services and the Fee-For-Service supports at Lansdowne. FREE Services Fee-for-Service

Get involved with Lansdowne by attending Centre, Foundation and Community events #ForTheKids. Education, Support and Fundraising opportunities. Lansdowne Event List Multiple Dates Autism Services Circle Time Group Fri, Mar 06 Brantford Weekly on Friday's from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm Children 2-6 registered with OAP with their caregivers Register Now Multiple Dates Autism Services Circle Time Group Fri, Mar 13 Brantford Weekly on Friday's from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm Children 2-6 registered with OAP with their caregivers Register Now Multiple Dates Autism Services Bricks and Building Club ages 8-12 Tue, Mar 17 Brantford Children aged 8-12. Registered with Lansdowne Autism Services. The ratio of this group is 1 staff for 3 children. We do not have the staff available to supervise clients who have aggressive behavior or are a flight risk. More Info Load More Calendar View

Foundational Family Services at Lansdowne Children's Centre provide core supports for children and youth and their families requesting Autism Services. They are no-charge to the family and are funded by the Government of Ontario. These FREE services provide resources for caregivers and families to work with their Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosed child, and participate in their child's ongoing learning and development. Foundational Family Services FREE Services & Supports Family Support Worker FSW Welcome to Autism Services at Lansdowne Children's Centre in Brantford What is Foundational Family Services? Foundational Family Services at Lansdowne Children's Centre provide core supports for children and youth and their families requesting Autism Services. They are no-charge to the family and are funded by the Government of Ontario. These FREE services provide resources for caregivers and families to work with their Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosed child, and participate in their child's ongoing learning and development. Our Foundational Family Services and supports are: Informed by evidence Responsive to your family’s changing needs over time Responsive to your child’s needs, strengths and developmental stage Offered in a variety of ways, including virtual, self-directed, in-person or group-based Provided at no-cost, (they're FREE) Who is eligible for Foundational Family Services? Children/youth age birth to 18 years, living in the province of Ontario, with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and are registered with the Ontario Autism Program (OAP). Looking for help with your registration? CLICK HERE for our 4-Step plan. Checkout upcoming Workshops, online and in-person Event Calendar What do Foundational Family Services include? Your Autism Services registration includes the following Foundational Family Services at no-cost (they're FREE): Family Support Worker Our Family Support Worker (FSW) is here to help children, youth and their families’ access appropriate Autism services and supports quickly and easily. Our FSW can help you with: Registering for the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) Funding applications Service Coordination Answer any other questions you might have! You can reach our Family Support Worker by phone at 519-753-3153 ext. 268, or by email at autism@lansdownecc.com Clinics Our Autism Services clinics are brief, targeted consultations that allow families to meet with a clinician to discuss potential strategies that will aid in developing a skill. A clinic is typically 1-hour in length and can include 1-2 follow-ups. Due to this service being so short, complex and challenging behavior cannot be addressed with this service. How do I make a clinic appointment? You can reach our Family Support Worker by phone at 519-753-3153 ext. 268, or by email at autism@lansdownecc.com to arrange a date and time for your clinic appointment that works for you. Caregiver-Mediated Early Years programs Autism Services Caregiver-Mediated Early Years programs are no-cost to the family. These play-based and child-led programs for young children, ages 12 months to 48 months, aim to build caregivers’ capacity to support their child’s skill development by teaching strategies that may help their young children learn new skills and meet individual goals. LEARN MORE Groups Are you interested in participating in a group conversation? You can reach our Family Support Worker by phone at 519-753-3153 ext. 268, or by email at autism@lansdownecc.com to share your interest in participating in a group meeting. Streaming Video Resources The Autism Services Brant webinar gallery is an online video streaming resource that you can access at no-charge. This collection of helpful videos offer an introduction to autism, tools for identifying behaviour, tips for improving your child's quality of life and ideas for activities you can try at home with your child. What can I expect? To access each video you will be asked to register your email contact information and OAP registration number. This information is held privately and only used by Autism Services for the purpose of stat-tracking for budget requirements, and to follow up with you on your streaming video experience. Videos are hosted on YouTube. Part of our FREE Foundational Family Services , you can stream webinar recordings at your convenience. Autism Services at Lansdowne Children's Centre offers a collection of helpful videos that provide introduction to autism, tools for identifying behaviour, tips for improving your child's quality of life and ideas for activities you can try at home with your child. Start Streaming

Representing the thousands of children, youth and families who access the critical supports and services offered by Lansdowne Children's Centre in Brantford, Simcoe, Dunnville and Caledonia, the annual CMR Ambassador is leader in spirit and fundraising. Lansdowne Charity Motorcycle Ride EVENT DETAILS REGISTRATION SPONSORSHIP AMBASSADORS CONTACT US Lexa, Autumn and Alexis are inviting You to Ride #ForThe Kids Meet Lexa Lexa MacMartin was born with Trisomy 21(Down Syndrome). With this diagnosis has come many trials over the years. Lexa has had two open heart surgeries both with difficult recoveries. She has Global Developmental delay and receives support for most day-to-day activities. Through all of this we have been helped by the wonderful people at Lansdowne Children's Centre. From only a few weeks old, they provided occupational therapists to help her eat and drink safely, and physical therapists to help her strengthen her low muscle tone. Throughout the years they have done so much more including now speech therapy, and even collaborating with her school to recommend special equipment to help Alexa have an excellent and accommodating school experience. As parents, we also have benefited from the resources at Lansdowne, including the Family Support Network. This has help tremendously with finding similar families and to connect with the community at Lansdowne. We are thrilled to be part of the 20th Motorcycle Ride and to help support Lansdowne which has been an integral part of our journey. We know how vital the support of a place like Lansdowne Children's Centre is to families just like ours. - MacMartin Family Meet Autumn & Alexis Autumn McDermott is teen who has been going to Lansdowne since she was just a baby. She started her experience with physiotherapy, and then started work with the speech team and occupational therapists. Autumn has taken part in recreation programs and has appreciated the support of the child and youth workers. Her goal is to raise awareness for children and parents to know where they can get help with their disabilities and their child's disabilities. Alexis McDermott is a teen who startred with Lansdowne Children's Centre at the age of 2 years. She started with speech therapy and later took part in physiotherapy and ocuupational therapy. Like her sister Autumn, Alexis has enjoyed recreation programs at Lansdowne and has appreciated having the child and youth workers. Alexi would like to raise awareness of Lansdowne Children's Centre because she wants to help people with wheelchairs, autism and ADHD. - Amanda McDermott WHY WE RIDE... #FORTHE KIDS Funds raised with the Lansdowne Charity Motorcycle Ride and Motorcycle Raffle Draw support critical programs at Lansdowne Children's Centre that help our community's children and youth with special needs. With your generous support: You have helped youth discover their independence and learn life skills; You have helped a child's family gain access to mobility equipment; You have helped a child with special needs make friends at a camp experience in the community.

Welcome to Lansdowne Children's Centre. Client families have free access to resources from our lending library and online catalogue. Start Here Guide: Accessing Lansdowne Resources, Lending Library Borrow toys, videos, books and equipment from Lansdowne's Lending Library, Learning Resource Centre Return Next Lending Library The Lansdowne Children's Centre Resource Centre has been established to serve the needs of children, parents, caregivers and staff of Lansdowne Children’s Centre. The resource centre is located off the main entrance lobby of Lansdowne Children’s Centre at 39 Mount Pleasant Street in Brantford. Any client family wishing to borrow items from the Resource Centre will fill out a registration form and will receive a borrower's card with an ID number. No cost. This borrower's card must be used to sign out materials. Items available to be borrowed include toys, games, videos and books. Equipment available for borrowing including wheelchairs, walkers, standing frames and box chairs, can be signed out under the guidance of a therapist. To learn more about the lending library please speak with Reception at Lansdowne Children’s Centre in Brantford. Online Resources The Lansdowne Children’s Centre website offers a growing mix of video and printable resources that can be searched and filtered based on your unique interests and needs. Lansdowne shares original video creations as well as materials developed by other agencies, medical professionals and community partners. These resources are intended to support a child’s development progress and empower a family/caregiver with understanding and strategies. Discover available resources when you visit www.lansdownecentre.ca/resources Caregiver Corner, Family Engagement The Caregiver Corner bulletin board at each Lansdowne Children’s Centre site provides awareness to upcoming social and education events hosted by Lansdowne Family Engagement Services. These no-cost events provide Lansdowne client families with opportunity to connect with their peers and enjoy free childcare while the adults participate in leisure and/or recreation activity. Discover upcoming events, learn more about Family Engagement and the Family Advisory Council, www.lansdownecentre.ca/familyengagement Family Facebook Group, Private Group Caregiver Corner hosts an online chat group exclusive to client families. This private Facebook group provides opportunity to connect with other families and share stories and/or questions in a safe and supportive environment. www.facebook.com/groups/2779362225485235 or search for"Caregiver Corner" Return Next

Kids need to grow, and so do we. To improve service access and equity, and better serve the booming population in our region, Lansdowne Children's Centre is pursuing approvals to build a new children's treatment centre facility in Brantford. #ForTheKids Event Calendar News Blog Service Guide Resources Work With Us About Us Centre Board Contact Us THANK YOU! We appreciate your support to bring a new Lansdowne Children's Centre building to our community. What's next? We have local and regional support, and now it is up to our provincial leaders to make Lansdowne Children's Centre a priority. You can help our case by following Lansdowne on Facebook and Instagram and by subscribing to our community newsletter the Lansdowne Link. Each of these communication channels helps us to demonstrate the support of our community, provide you with updates on our efforts, and provide you with resources to support child development in our region. Lansdowne is dedicated to improving our wait lists for assessment and services, and will continue to provide additional resources online and in our community to support the thousands of children and families seeking help. Lansdowne Children's Centre board member Mike Gatopolous is a parent of a child who attends Lansdowne. Mike has become an active advocate for centre operations growth, sharing the meaningful impact that Lansdowne services, resources and supports provided his family. Seen here attending a January 2023 meeting of Brant County council. The analysis in 2020 reported that the current Lansdowne space-needs are nearly triple the amount of space available in our 57-year old building. Children are Paying the Price and Can’t Keep Waiting: • Children in our community have had vital procedures delayed, suffered learning losses, and experienced devastating impacts on their physical and mental development. • These problems will continue to get worse without expansion. The challenges Lansdowne children face will only compound as they age and become more difficult to address. Everyday Matters in the Life of a Child: • Only one in three kids in Ontario receive services within the clinical standard, with the majority waiting almost three years to access services. • At Lansdowne Children's Centre in Brantford that ratio is only one in four kids. • Families are falling further behind and wait lists are longer than they have ever been. • Long wait times and limited resources are not new barriers to timely care, but these barriers have increased significantly since the pandemic began. It’s Time to Champion Children’s Healthcare: • By acting quickly, we can stop children from suffering and start their healing. • Children deserve a strong system of care that provides the care they need, when they need it, and where they need it. Invest in their future. To learn how, CLICK HERE