Kamloops Early Childhood Resources

Bumblebees Family Centre:

Are you a kid under 5?  Is your mom, dad, or caregiver (grandparents too!) looking for a place to have some fun, connect with other families and learn together?  BUMBLBEES IS THE PLACE FOR YOU!!!!

It’s a busy morning of sharing stories, playing with friends, studying your world, learning to count…and just plain having a good time.  Our service is FREE and facilitated by a Licensed Early Childhood Educator.  We look forward to seeing you!  The coffee is on!  John Tod Elementary, Monday to Fridays:  8:30 am – 11:30 am.  Drop-in basis during the public school year.

Children’s Therapy and Family Resource Centre (CTFRC) (371-4100)

Provides therapy & support services to children with special needs, birth to19 years, using a community based, outreach model.

Programs for Children 1 to 6 include:

Early Intervention Program:

• Physiotherapy – promotes physical development and movement.
• Occupational Therapy – helps develop independence in everyday skills, such as dressing, toileting, & printing.
• Speech & Language Services – improves understanding and listening skills, as well as talking.
• Family resources – Services include identifying community and provincial resources, workshops, counselling, lending cupboard of equipment, adaptive living devices, library of books and videos.

Supported Child Development – Works with community care providers to support the involvement of children in their neighbourhood early childhood setting.

Early Intensive Behaviour Intervention Program (EIBI) – Provides intensive one-on-one intervention and therapy services for pre-school children, diagnosed with Autism.

Autism Diagnostic Clinic – Provides diagnostic & referral services

City of Kamloops – Parks & Recreation Services (828-3477)

Call for children’s program information.

Dial-A-Dietician (1-800-667-3438)

The Community Nutrition Department provides information on healthy eating during the whole lifespan, from pregnancy to seniors. (www.interiorhealth.ca)

Early Childhood Educators (Kamloops Branch) (372-1043)

Early Childhood Educators of BC is the professional association for early childhood practitioners in BC. ECEBC is supported and directed by its members.

Provincial Contact: Toni Hoyland, Chair    Toll Free: 1-800-797-5602

e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it    http://www.ecebc.ca/about/contact.html

Kamloops Chair, Vi-Anne Zirnhelt 250 314-2219

Interior Community Services (554-3134)

ICS offers a continuum of prevention and intervention supports to families with children between birth and nineteen years of age.  These programs are offered to individuals, families or groups, in home, office or community settings.

Programs for children 0-6 years include:

• Baby’s Head Start – A pregnancy outreach service incorporating free nutrition/vitamin supplements, individual and family support, group work and community referral.  This service is provided prenatal up to six months postnatal.
• Healthy Beginnings – These are community based groups for parents and children that seek to meet the health and social developmental needs of pregnant women, parents and children up to 6 years of age.
• Families First – Available to families with children prenatal to 3 months of age.  This is an in home family support program for parents that enhances family functioning by teaching parents problem solving skills and linking them to community resources.
• First Steps – An education program with daycare for young mothers between the ages of 14 and 24 that need academic upgrading, life skills and parenting classes. 
• Early Connections – This program supports families in developing secure attachment relationships between parents and their young children.  This service provides early intervention in families with infants/children aged 0-6 who are at moderate risk of developing a child mental health disorder The program is based on research regarding early detection of infant child mental health disorders and the notion that infant/child mental health concerns are often manifested as a result of insecure attachment relationships.

Interior Health Public Health (851-7300)

• Immunization through well baby clinics
• Nobody’s Perfect Parenting Program
• Post maternity discharge program
• SAND Programs (Speech, Audiology, Nutrition, & Dental)
• New baby visits
• Breast Feeding Support Group & Clinic (851-7954 at the Downtown Health Centre)

Pre & Post Natal Mental Health Services (851-7450) include:  Assessment, Treatment, Consultation, Education, Prevention, Information and Resources.  Anyone can make a referral.

Interior Indian Friendship Society (376-1674)-Aboriginal Early Childhood Development

Services offered include individual counselling, family support, pre and postnatal support/education, dental health education and counselling, early childhood caries assessments, nutritional counselling and education, prenatal nutritional supplements, workshops, free clothing exchange, child safety information & play groups.

• Mother Hen and Chicks – This group is geared for moms with a child between the ages of 0-24 months.  We provide educational information, guest speakers, lunch, games, and much more!  We meet on the second and forth Tuesday of every month.
• Adventures in Storyland – This is an early literacy program for children aged 3-5 and their parents which includes songs, finger puppets, stories and lunch.
• Mother Raven – This is an interactive experience for parents and their children ages 0-3, focusing on rhymes, songs, and stories in a comfortable enjoyable setting.
• Let’s Get Cooking – Join us in our community kitchen for healthy cooking and tasty meals for your family.
• Community Garden – Come and organize and plant your own plot and/or participate in the communal garden.  Planning starts in April.
• Dental Program – Learn about caring for your child’s teeth.  Call or stop by for an individual or group dental counselling session.
• Outreach services – Provided by a family support worker

For information on any of the groups listed above or if you have any questions please feel free to call 376-1674.

Interior Metis Child & Family Services (554-9486)

The purpose of IMCFS is to implement provision of services for Aboriginal children and families.  Programs offered include You Make the Difference, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder(FASD), father’s support group, foster care, family wellness & counselling (personal, family, relationships).

Insight Support Services (851-0005)

We offer Behaviour Consultant for children ages birth to 19 who have a diagnosis of Complex Developmental Behaviour Conditions (CDBC), Family support workers for children ages 3 – 19 with developmental challenges up to a period of 6 months under Community Living of BC, out of school care program for youth ages 12-25, social development groups for children and youth ages 6 -19, teen drop in, Key Worker support for children and families  under the fetal alcohol spectrum disorder & complex developmental behaviour conditions program, as well as a caregiver support group.

Kamloops Community YMCA-YWCA Child Care Resource & Referral (CCRR) (372-7791)

CCRR provides a referral service for families looking for child care.  Other services provided include a toy lending library and a resource library.  Courses offered are Good Beginnings, Early Learning Canada, and Nobody’s Perfect.

Kamloops YMCA-YWCA Child Interactive Centres (372-7791) – A place where children, parents, grandparents and caregivers can interact with each other in a safe, stimulating, educational play environment.

• North Shore – 700 Tranquille Road, Kamloops, BC  (Ph 554-9622); Mon-Sat, 8:30 am – 1:00 pm
• South Shore – Unit E, 1420 Hugh Allan Drive, Kamloops, BC  (Ph 372-7791); Mon-Fri, 9:00 am – 12:00 Noon

Kamloops Early Language and Literacy Initiative (KELLI) (554-1040)

Call for Mother Goose programming.

Kamloops Infant Development Program (IDP) (371-4140)

Do you have a child under three that you feel is not developing like the other children his or her age?   IDP provides family support and advocacy, developmental assessments, program planning, access to our resource library, and access to the variety of group that support early childhood development such as Parent Child Mother Goose, playgroup, Infant Massage, and You Make the Difference.

Lift the Lip

"Early Childhood Cavities” is a dental disease that can destroy a child's first teeth.  The Dental Public Health Program is offering clinics in communities throughout the Thompson Cariboo Shuswap to help prevent Early Childhood Cavities.  This program is not meant to interfere with established relationships with a dental office.
The "Lift the Lip" clinic is a training session for parents with children 1 to 3 years of age.  The session is FREE and includes:

• Learning about Early Childhood Cavities
• Learning a technique for checking your child's teeth
• Counseling on dental behaviors that may put your child at risk
• A screening to see if your child would benefit from fluoride varnish applications
  

Make Children First

A community based early childhood coalition that works to support the healthy development of children 0 to 6 years old and their families.  To become involved with Make Children First or find out more, please call 554-3134.

• The Parent to Parent Group is a gathering place for parents of children 0 to 6 years to connect with other parents in the Sahali/Aberdeen areas.  Participate in various workshops and parent/child activities, as well as, get early childhood development information and access to available resources in the community.  This is a parent driven group and participation of its members in group planning is encouraged.
• Family Tree drop-in provides a place for parent and caregivers to expand their social support network while encouraging early childhood development of children ages 0-6.  The drop-in is a parent-driven project organized by parents for parents.

Thompson-Nicola Regional District Library System:

Kamloops Main Branch Library (372-5145)

North Kamloops Library (554-1124)