The only thing that has increased at the Shuswap Children’s Association is the number of clients.
The association has been serving families and children, including children with special needs, since 1982.
But while number of children with needs has been growing, government funding has not. So, for the first time in its history, the association is turning to fundraising by hosting a beer and a burger event on Saturday, March 4.
The association is serving 450 children a year, providing child-care resources and referrals, early childhood development and infant development programs, fetal alcohol syndrome support, occupational and physiological support, play groups, respite care and family support.
There are another 170 children waiting for help, of which 60 are eligible for the special-needs after school program. It will be two years before they can get into the program.
As of now, the associstion’s waitlist for occupational therapy, which is typically nine months is five at the moment; physiotherapy is six months; the wait for a family support worker is three months; supported one-on-one care for children at childcare centres is six months and for fetal alcohol symdrome support, the wait is four months.
Unfortunately, because of insufficient funds, the the children’s association is having to provide what office manager Nikki Wilson calls “watered-down” services.
“Instead of helping one kid fully, we have to serve several on the same cash at the same time; it’s frustrating because it becomes a question of quantity versus quality,” she says. “We have children getting kicked out of daycare centres because of behavioural issues, developmental delays or special needs. They need one-on-one support or they can’t go to daycare.”
That usually means that both parents are unable to work so some families are financially as well as emotionally drained.
“We know for sure between ages from 0 to five, 90 per cent of the brain develops, so if we can get them before they are five, chances are good they won’t need services in their teens,” Wilson says.
“We’re trying to get to the kids before they go to school. Once they go to school, there’s just no funding so then we’re in bigger trouble.”
Members of the community are invited to enjoy a burger and beer for Shuswap kids and their families in need of support from 6 to 10 p.m. at Off the Beat Lounge (Formerly Hideaway Pub). There will be door prizes, a 50-50 draw, ticket raffle and silent auction.
Tickets are $20 and are available at the Children’s Association, Off The Beat, the Tom Harris Telus store in the Walmart parking lot or at the door.