GROUP PROGRAMS

When your child receives support at KidsConnecting, you begin your journey working directly with me, the Founder and Clinical Director, Stacey Baskind.

I am certified in ESDM (Early Start Denver Model), DIR/Floortime and PLAY Project. I pull form my training in these child-centred, play-based models to create a program that is personalized to your child. Your child's strengths, interests and personality are always top of mind. 

You are an important part of your child's therapy. Your active involvement and participation in sessions, as well as your input into your child's program plan are essential.

Therapy sessions at KidsConnecting should look and feel more like play than therapy. Together, the child and therapist engage in fun, age-appropriate activities that help facilitate connection and engagement. The child and adult are both important and active play partners - offering ideas, taking turns and sharing the responsibility for initiating, playing and ending activities.   

In order to make sessions fun and engaging, and to maintain the child’s motivation, the therapist prepares the environment with a variety of developmentally appropriate activities that are specifically selected with each child’s interests, preferences and goals in mind.

At KidsConnecting, we know that kids learn best when they feel happy, seen and accepted.

As the parent of a young child, I understand the immense joys and challenges that are part of parenting. Parenting a child with special needs can make these ups and downs even more profound. 

I believe strongly in the importance of parent coaching in any therapeutic intervention for young children. As parents, you are the people most invested in your child’s development and most able to influence it. 

I strongly encourage parents, grandparents and other caregivers to be present in all my therapy sessions. In this way, I can model and explain strategies in real time. Caregivers also have the opportunity play with their child while I give them practical feedback and suggestions.

Sometimes, a family requires more specialised support than I can offer. When this is the case, I make referrals to colleagues in related fields (e.g. occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, psychology, social work). 

At KidsConnecting, we believe that a big part of our role is to prepare our clients for school. 

Children who are preparing for, or attending school, have the opportunity of working with our Special Education Teacher to hone their school readiness and academic skills. 

When children's interests are valued they more motivated to learn. In individual and group sessions, children are encouraged to explore the interesting and stimulating environment that we create for them. 

We know that children learn best when they feel safe, happy and seen. With this in mind, we ensure that we always have a supportive relationship with our clients and their families. 

 Is your young child displaying challenging behaviours at home or in the community? Are you struggling to get your child dressed or fed? Does your child engage in tantrums? Aggression? Self-injury? Do you get negative, worrying reports from school? Parenting a child with difficult behaviours can be extremely upsetting and exhausting.Complaints from school can be heart breaking. 

As a certified BCBA with over 20 years of experience, I am trained to objectively observe your child’s behavior within the context that it takes place. Through this observation and discussion with key players (e.g. you, your child, school teachers), I build a story of why, when and with whom your child acts out. Using the behavioural principles and evidence-based practices of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), I then recommend positive behavioural supports and strategies that will help your child get their needs met in a positive, appropriate way. 

I am available to provide behavioural support to your child at home, daycare, school and other community settings.