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The Therapeutic Preschool in Kinsmen Children's Centre (KCC) is
a joint program of Saskatoon Public School Division and Saskatoon
Health Region. The Therapeutic Preschool is one of the preschools
at Brunskill School/KCC.
The preschool is organized into morning and afternoon sessions
- the Combined Therapeutic Preschool and the Afternoon Therapeutic
Preschool. An interdisciplinary team provides assessment, stimulation,
treatment, and education for young children with motor disabilities,
neurological impairments, and who may have associated special learning
needs.
Children may be enrolled in one of the two sessions based on their
active involvement in therapy. As well, children may be enrolled
when they are able to be separated from their parents and participate
in a group program. Specific eligibility criteria have been established
for the Combined and the Afternoon Therapeutic Preschool programs.
Education and therapeutic treatment focuses on achieving goals
developed jointly by parents and team members. A major focus of
the preschool is to incorporate therapeutic aims into daily activities
typical for young children.
Therapists may work with the child outside the classroom or they
may provide treatment within the classroom during daily programming.
Small groups have been formed for therapeutic treatment when it
seems most appropriate for children involved.
The Therapeutic Preschool is in operation Monday through Thursday
9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a. m. each morning and 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
each afternoon. Eight to twelve boys and girls may participate in
each of the daily programs. Children range in age from 2 ½
to 5 years of age with full time involvement more typical for older
children and part time involvement more characteristic of younger
children.
The preschool operates from September until June and children can
be enrolled at any time over the course of the year. A number of
children participate each year for a short period of time. coming
into the preschool for a Short-term Therapeutic Enrollment in Preschool
Objectives of the Preschool
- To provide for comprehensive assessment, treatment, and stimulation
for overall development of the young child with physical handicaps.
- To provide a setting for a program of early childhood education
with specific expectations for working toward independence in
physical, social, self-help, perceptual, cognitive, and language
skills.
- To provide an environment where treatment is seen by parents
as being a functional part of everyday life: and to provide an
environment where parents observe and learn to work with their
own child in a prescribed way.
- To prevent or limit further disability through early intervention.
- To advise/instruct parents and others regarding a child's care
(including handling, positioning feeding, play, language stimulation,
and behavior management, and to receive information regarding
functioning at home.
Parent Involvement
Parents are asked to participate in the preschool. The major purpose
of parent involvement is for parents to participate with their child
in therapy and within the preschool group.
A parent roster is set up for parents. Bi-weekly involvement is
suggested to ensure that parents and the KCC team share information
in order to update and adjust goals and to facilitate carry-over
at home. As well, parent involvement in the preschool can be a support
to families by providing frequent and regular interactions with
staff and other parents.
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