That’s why Grandview Kids, inspired by feedback from our clients and their caregivers, advocated for funding to build a program that would be more responsive to our community’s needs. The new Grandview Kids Adolescent Transition Program, sponsored by TD Bank Group, provides the much-needed support to families that are aging out of services at Grandview Kids.

The Program was co-designed by a Steering Committee, comprised of Parent Advocates, Youth Advocates, as well as members of Grandview Kids’ Family Engagement, Clinical and Client Services, and Medical teams. This integrated approach puts the family voice at the centre of program development – something we always strive to achieve at Grandview Kids. Read more about this new program and our brand new Adolescent Transition Toolkit in this month’s Project Spotlight.

Program Spotlight: Reading and Resources

Free to Read



At Grandview Kids, we know that having positive early literacy experiences with your baby, toddler and preschooler is an important step to your child’s future success in school and learning through life.

Grandview Kids’ Free to Read Program was developed by our Preschool Speech and Language team to support literacy awareness and development in our preschool clients. The program aims to reduce obstacles, such as cost and access, to make it easier for all of our families to enjoy more books at home. It is now managed by our volunteers.

Grandview Kids Volunteer, Kirsty, helping out with the Free to Read Program.

Seeking donations!

We are always grateful to receive donations for the Free to Read Program. Donations can be dropped off at the front desk at the Oshawa Main site (600 Townline Rd S, Oshawa) between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. Our volunteers will receive the books. All donations should be in good or excellent used condition. Make sure there are no missing or ripped pages.

Something for everyone!

Books for suitable for all ages are available in the Free to Read zone at our Oshawa Main site. There is no cost or due date to return books. Books are free for families to keep as long as they wish! When you have books you are done with, please bring them back for others to enjoy.

Incorporating books into your child’s daily routine is the first step to building a foundation of early literacy development. By having fun with books, we can create a love for reading and develop a rich imagination that will help your child to have academic success.

For more information on the Free to Read Program, please visit our website or contact Volunteer Coordinator Tara Cooper by email to Tara.Cooper@grandviewkids.ca.

Resource Library

At the Oshawa Main and Ajax sites, parents and caregivers can also find a selection of resource and reference books specific to a range of topics from child development through to learning strategies; this is called the Resource Library.

The library also offers helpful resources to support early reading, writing and math development. Items available through the Resource Library must be returned via the lending protocol. Check out the sign-up sheets at the Resource Library locations for instructions on how to take out an item.

We look forward to incorporating these materials into a larger lending collection, inclusive of books and toys, at the New Grandview Kids. The collection will be housed in the Ajax Public Library branch that will be located in the facility’s Family Resource Centre. Inquiries about the Resource Library can be directed to familyengagement@grandviewkids.ca.

Project Spotlight: Adolescent Transition Toolkit

For a long time, Grandview Kids has witnessed the gap in support and resources that occurs when our clients transition from our care (as kids and adolescents) to adult care. Teens and their caregivers consistently tell us it feels like “falling off a cliff” when their paediatric support system is no longer accessible. Grandview Kids knew we had to bridge this gap, and help prepare families for the uncertainties that lay ahead.

Supported by a grant from TD Bank Group, the new Grandview Kids Adolescent Transition Program provides support for transition planning, starting at age 15 (Grade 10), to prepare for critical applications at ages 16 and 18. 

Introducing our Adolescent Transition Toolkit



Our project’s dedicated Steering Committee, comprised of youths, parents and Grandview Kids staff, completed an environmental scan of resources, consolidating that information into an Adolescent Transition Program Toolkit.

This toolkit serves as a roadmap. It can be used by youths on their own, or by their caregivers. The Toolkit reviews steps that adolescents must take as they transition to adult services. We also included other resources, which some clients and caregivers might find helpful throughout the transition process. The Toolkit spans ages 12 to 21.

Clients and caregivers eligible for the Adolescent Transition Program will be supported via education sessions on a variety of topics, an online parent support networking page (TAPS), one-on-one coaching from Peer Navigators, and through navigation to other community resources.

To make a referral to the Adolescent Transition Program, please submit an online referral. For more information about the Program, you can visit our website or reach out to the Family Engagement Team via email to family.engagement@grandviewkids.ca.

From the archives

Campbell Children's School photo book from 1980-1989

The launch of our travelling archival exhibit is fast approaching! Here are some frequently asked questions related to our collection.

What is the Grandview Kids Archives?

The Grandview Kids Archives were established to provide tangible resources to our past and act as educational resources to staff, volunteers, clients, caregivers and members of the public.

What is kept in the Grandview Kids Archives?

The Archives hold a wide range of documents, photographs and videos from our past and features, both a physical and digitized collections from Grandview Kids, Grandview Kids Foundation, Campbell Children’s School and Simcoe Hall.

How can I view objects from the collection?

Select objects from the collection will be on display at our various locations. If you would like to view an object that is not on display, please feel free to contact our Archivist, Mitchell Daniels, at Mitchell.Daniels@grandviewkids.ca.

What happens when the collection is not on display?

When the collection is not on display, it is securely stored in our climate-controlled storage room and is cared for by our archivist, Mitchell.

How can I donate an object to the collection?

Please email Mitchell.Daniels@grandviewkids.ca to donate to the Archives. In your initial email, please tell us a little bit about the piece(s) that you wish to donate. Mitchell will then send you a copy of our artifact donation form. Please complete this and bring it with you or send it with the objects that you wish to donate. Once donated, the object will become part of the public trust and will be used for display, research and archival preservation.

Your voice matters

Updated Compliments and Complaints process



Back in Spring 2023, our Family Advisory Council (FAC) told us that our current process for sharing feedback with the organization was challenging. They told us that caregivers either didn’t feel comfortable sharing via channels that existed, or they were unclear about how to initiate a compliment or complaint. It also lacked transparency on resolution or outcomes.

Over the summer, Team Grandview worked to refine and update this process. It is incredibly important to us that we act client and caregiver feedback, recognizing the value that your ideas and lived experiences bring to Grandview Kids. 

Research, Innovation and Knowledge Mobilization

Are you a service provider to, or family member (parent/caregiver) of, someone with a developmental concern in Canada? If so, we would like to invite you to be part of our F-Words Foundations Course study!

The ‘F-words for Child Development’ (Functioning, Family, Fitness, Fun, Friends, Future) provide a family-centred, strengths-based, holistic approach to child health and development.

For the study, you will choose to complete one of two versions of the online F-words Foundations Course: (i) the self-paced version; or (ii) an online facilitated version that involves the self-paced version plus weekly one-hour online discussion groups with other caregivers and service providers.

You will also be asked to complete a questionnaire at baseline, program completion, and three months post-completion. A subset of parents and service providers will be asked if they would like to participate in an optional interview upon of completing the program.

Please contact Sarah at hopmansn@mcmaster.ca if you would like more information about the study.

Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA)

Grandview Kids' IDEA committee is a group of invested Team Grandview members with a broad array of expertise and experience working together on issues or concerns related to inclusivity, equity, diversity and accessibility at work. In support of Global Diversity Awareness Week in October, the IDEA committee created an Inclusive Language Guide (available by clicking the button below) to equip Team Grandview with the knowledge of words, terms and phrases that carry racist roots or connotations, or are generally considered not to be inclusive. The IDEA committee encourages others to take a moment to review our Inclusive Language Guide to enhance the inclusivity of language across the Grandview Kids community.

In sharing the guide, the committee urged all Grandview Kids staff to stop using the language included. However, this resource is meant to educate; it is not intended to prescribe alternative words, terms or phrases. The IDEA Committee urges you to reflect on your use of these words, terms and phrases and do your own research if you need help with what to say instead.

Community corner

Ajax Public Library

Outdoor Explorers with Abilities Centre

• Saturday, November 4 from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. at the Main Branch
• Description: Come outside and play! Outdoor Explorers is a program designed to get everyone active outside! Open to children, youth, and families of all ages and abilities, This session will feature an orienteering scavenger hunt outside at the Main Branch and will be run by Whitby Abilities Centre staff. We can’t wait to play outside with you!
• Click here to reserve your spot!

Sensory Storytime

• Thursday. November 2, 16 and 30 at the McLean Branch
• Drop-in event, open to children ages 2 to 6
• Connect with other families and enjoy fun themes, songs and stories at this inclusive storytime where all are welcome. Presented in partnership with Grandview Kids
• Themes include Farms (Nov. 2), Bouncing (Nov. 16) and Holidays (Nov. 30)

The Big Book Sale

• Saturday, November 4 from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• All Ages

Santa’s Spectacle of Lights Parade & Warm-Up Party

• Saturday, November 25; 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. at the Main Branch
• Drop-in for families
• Parade (6 p.m.); Warm Up Party (7:30 p.m.) Town Hall/Main Branch

Follow the Town’s Annual evening parade, then visit the Main Branch for Children’s crafts and hot chocolate hosted by the Library’s Teen Advisory Council. The Main Branch will be open until 9 p.m.—come and enjoy the festivities! Free Admission. All ages!

How to send letters to Santa

• From November 25 to December 4, write a letter to Santa, and we’ll make sure he gets it!
• Send your letter at any branch by December 4. Library staff will forward your letter to Santa, or send directly via Canada Post by December 7 to Santa Claus North Pole H0H 0H0 Canada.

PA Days: Friday Craft and Movie: Clifford the Big Red Dog (PG)

• Friday, November 17 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the Main Branch
• Drop-in for families.

What would you do with a giant red dog? Come make your very own Clifford craft, grab a colouring sheet and then settle in for Clifford! A young girl's love for a tiny puppy named Clifford makes the dog grow to an enormous size.

Odibaadodaan: Celebrating First Nation, Métis and Inuit Storytellers

• Friday, November 24 from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
• Drop-in for all ages
• Robert McLaughlin Gallery | 72 Queen St, Oshawa, ON L1H 3Z3

Celebrate a variety of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit storytellers across various mediums and disciplines within our community. Brought to you by partners from across the Durham Region.

Stay tuned for news about the Library’s Makerspace Launch at McLean Branch!

Pickering Public Library

Sensory Support Kits

Available to check out with your Pickering Public Library card, Sensory Support Kits contain an assortment of items, including noise-reducing ear covers and fidget toys, which are designed to reduce stress and anxiety, stimulate learning, and provide comfort in unfamiliar environments.

See the photo to the right which details how the Sensory Support Kit looks and what kinds of items are included in it.

Neurodivergent Drop-Ins

Join us at the George Ashe Library on the second Sunday of each month from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. for our Neurodivergent Drop-In!

The library will be hosting a unique event catering to families with children who identify as being neurodivergent to come and experience the library prior to regular operating hours. Children will have the opportunity to socially interact with each other in a safe and welcoming space. No formal diagnosis is required to join in on this early opening experience!

Upcoming events and programs

Family Engagement events

Find all Family Engagement and Grandview Kids-hosted events here on our website!

Coffee and Connecting

Participate in an informal, online forum to connect with other parents and caregivers for advice, support and networking.

When: First three Thursdays in November at 7:00 p.m.

Where: Virtual

To register, email FamilyEngagement@grandviewkids.ca.

After 18: Funding 101

Join us for an Adolescent Transition Program Education and Networking Event. In this workshop, caregivers will learn about funding opportunities from experts, while youth enjoy recreation activities. Registration is required.

When: Wednesday, November 15, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Where: Grandview HQ, 600 Townline Road South, Oshawa

Registration for Caregivers: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/after-18-funding-101-workshop-tickets-740112405127?aff=oddtdtcreator

Registration for Youth 15+: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/after-18-funding-101-workshop-youth-tickets-747089754567?aff=oddtdtcreator

If you have questions, please email FamilyEngagement@grandviewkids.ca.

Caregiver Café

Participate in informal networking, with an opportunity to ask questions of the Family Engagement team regarding local resources and funding paperwork.

When: Thursday, November 30, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Where: Grandview Kids Main Oshawa Site, 600 Townline Road South, Oshawa

Click here to register.

Park Playdates

Park Playdates are now closed for the winter season. See you again in May!

Purchased OAP Core Clinical Service offerings

Find all Grandview Kids purchased service and program offerings here!

Grandview Kids is proud to offer programs and services that help children and youth reach their full potential. In partnership with the client and their parents or caregivers, various experienced clinicians provide services tailored to meet a child’s or youth’s specific needs and goals. Our Purchased Service offerings are separate from the long-standing, available programs at Grandview Kids and do not impact their wait times. These services may be eligible for purchase through the Ontario Autism Program’s (OAP) core clinical services funding and interim one-time funding.

Using the evidence-based principles and teaching methods of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), Grandview Kids currently offers two models of behaviour services to children and youth, known as the F.A.S.T. and Mediator models (see the graphic below depicting the differences of these offerings). Click here to learn more about and register for Grandview Kids' available Behaviour Services offerings.

Purchased Service program offerings

Social Detective: A Social Skills Group

Strengthen your child's social skills! Participate in the Social Detective: Social Skills Group.

Please note that this group IS eligible for OAP Core Clinical Services budgets.



In this group, participants will learn the power of observation, reading environmental contexts, analyzing clues they see within their environment and the power of choice on how to respond, all while also creating and learning new ways to think about their social relations.

Who is eligible: Children between the ages of 7 to 10. Note that there are two Social Detective groups: one for children ages 7 and 8 and one for children 9 and 10.

Where and when: Mondays or Tuesday evenings (depending on the child’s age) at Grandview Kids' Main Site in Oshawa

Click here to view all program details and register.

Let's Get Active program

Coordinated by Grandview Kids’ Physical Literacy Coordinator and Recreation Therapy Assistants, Let’s Get Active is a physically engaging program for children and youth with developmental disabilities, including Autism. Your child or youth will engage in sport-specific activities such as basketball, soccer, baseball, hockey and racket sports.

Participation in the Let’s Get Active program will help your child or youth build confidence and self-esteem, promote the development of physical competence, build social skills and friendships and improve their physical activity. The kinds of skills your child or youth may gain from participating in the Let’s Get Active program include physical skills, such as improved fundamental locomotor skills (i.e., running and jumping), object control skills (i.e., throwing and catching a ball), balance and coordination and cognitive skills, such as a deepened comprehension of different sports.

Click here to register your youth (ages 13 - 18) in the program.

ONE SPOT LEFT – Beyond the Walls: Food and Fitness

The upcoming Beyond the Walls module will focus on Food and Fitness. This module promotes awareness of nutrition, and the significance of incorporating fitness into daily living. Participants will be provided with opportunities to engage in activities that increase understanding of a nutrition label, planning for a meal (including creating a shopping list, budgeting for the list, and going to the supermarket to purchase the ingredients), developing an individualized fitness routine and creating a plan to add it to a daily routine. 

This module consists of five sessions, which cost $5 each. Please note that some sessions may take place out in the community. Click here to learn more and register.

LEGO® Club

LEGO® Club is a fun, structured social skill opportunity designed for children and youth with developmental disabilities, including Autism, who enjoy creating with standard LEGO® bricks. A variety of LEGO® products and other media will be utilized to foster social communication skills and promote turn-taking and collaboration in a fun and social environment. The program curriculum includes group projects/challenges, “free-building,” creative LEGO® based activities and active play.

Click here to register your youth (ages 13 - 18) in the program - few spots left!

Dates of significance

Diwali (Begins November 12)

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is a festival of lights celebrated by many people all around the world. Based on the Hindu lunar calendar, Diwali will be celebrated on November 12 this year. Diwali is a joyous occasion when we come together to celebrate the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. Diwali is observed differently by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists, creating diverse traditions.

Read more about how Grandview Kids staff member, Suvaathy V., celebrates Diwali with her family >

World Diabetes Day (November 14)

While 1 in 10 adults have diabetes, many are still undiagnosed, and there is a growing number of children diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects how the body turns food into energy. Normally, sugar comes from carbohydrates needed to fuel the body’s cells. When the pancreas does not develop enough insulin, or any at all, too much blood sugar stays in the bloodstream. We wear blue for World Diabetes Day!

Andrea B., Family Engagement Program Manager, shares her experience of living with diabetes and the way it has shaped her resiliency and advocacy on our blog >

Halloween

The Campbell Children's School students carried out the school's annual tradition of trick-or-treating through the Team-Grandview-lined halls of Grandview Kids' Main Site this Halloween! Our staff excitedly passed out toys and candy to students while exchanging thoughts about how spooky and creative everyone's costumes are! Follow @GrandviewKids on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter/X to see all of the amazing costumes the Campbell's students and Grandview staff wore this Halloween!

Transgender Awareness Week (November 13-19)

Transgender Awareness Week is November 13-19 and leads up to the Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20—a day to memorialize victims of transphobic violence. November 20 was originally a vigil to honour Rita Hester, a transgender woman killed in 1998. Now this day represents a time to honour those lives lost to transphobic violence every year.

To learn more about Transgender Awareness Week and how you can support transgender persons in your community, please access this helpful resource created by the Canadian Pride Historical Society,

Grandview Kids Foundation

Grandview Kids Foundation for a night of dreams! – Elexicon Energy Dream Big, Dream Brighter Awards Dinner

Grandview Kids Foundation is incredibly excited to see all the beautiful Grandview Kids community members at the inspiring Dream Big, Dream Brighter: Making the World a Brighter Place awards dinner presented by Elexicon Energy. Taking place on November 2, 2023, at the Royal Ashburn Golf Club, we are so thankful for your nominations and support.

Giving Tuesday is November 28!

Grandview Kids Foundation is excited to participate in Giving Tuesday for another year! Giving Tuesday is a time when Canadians, charities, and businesses come together to celebrate giving and participate in activities that support charities and non-profits; to thank, help, give, show kindness, and share what they have with those in need.

This year, Giving Tuesday is on November 28. Stay tuned for more exciting information from the Foundation on how you can get involved and support Giving Tuesday this year with Grandview Kids Foundation!

Kids Eat for ONLY $2 on Mondays at Kelsey’s Ajax!

For the entire year, Kelsey’s Ajax is hosting a spectacular fundraiser for Grandview Kids Foundation. Every Monday, you and your family can indulge in a delightful dinner outing, and here's the cherry on top – your little ones will eat for just $2!

How did you like this issue of Gather ?

Share your feedback and suggestions via this survey to help us make the newsletter better for everyone.

Content in Gather is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor. Views expressed in posts and resources listed do not signify endorsement by Grandview Kids.