Early Intervention Program

Since the spring of 2003, the BC Chapter’s Early Intervention program has been one of the strongest and most highly regarded in Canada. The goal of this program is to work with families of children ages 0-5 who have been identified as being deafblind and help them to transition into the school system. This program is generously funded by the Ministry of Children and Family Development.

Child development research has established that the rate of human learning and development is most rapid in the preschool years. Timing of intervention becomes particularly important when a child runs the risk of missing an opportunity to learn during a state of maximum readiness. If the most teachable moments or stages of greatest readiness are not taken advantage of, a child may have difficulty learning a particular skill at a later time. Through early intervention, we can help the child develop their true potential.

Early intervention services also have a significant impact on the parents and siblings of a child who is deafblind. The family often feels disappointment, social isolation, added stress, frustration, and helplessness. Early intervention can result in parents having improved attitudes about themselves and their child, improved information and skills for teaching their child.

The coordinator of this program is Allison Mail, who brings with her years of experience as both an Intervenor and a Resources professional. She meets with families, introduces them to the world of deafblindness and establishes communication methods and intervention techniques including cues, routines and motivation to use with their deafblind child. She is also available to attend medical or other agency meetings as required and requested by the family to offer her support and expertise.

To support the program, the BC Chapter has developed a number of resources including a resource lending library, audio and video taping, teleconferences and information worksheets.

What makes this program unique is our ability to service the province of British Columbia with a qualified Early Intervention team that helps alleviate some of the distress and isolation that comes with discovering you have a child with special needs.

For any questions about the Early Intervention Program, please contact Allison Mail at the CDBA BC Offices at 604.528.6170 (line 2) or by email at allison@cdbrabc.ca.
Early Intervention Pamphlet