How We Can Help

FASD
Child and Youth Developmental Services in Hamilton
Transition to Adult Developmental Services
Autism Services
Education, Workshops and Parenting Support

Our Children and Youth Services Program offers three programs that can help children, youth, and families:

Access Service
Coordinated Service Planning
FASD Service

Access Service

Contact Hamilton can help children, youth, and families find out about supports and resources that are available. We provide information, consultation, intake, and referral to services on behalf of children and youth that may be presenting with developmental, FASD, autism, and/or complex needs.

Every child, youth, and their family is unique. We can help by recommending the type of service that best suits your unique needs.

You may be connected with an Intake and Referral Consultant, an FASD Consultant, or a Coordinated Service Planner on our team that can help you navigate services.

Coordinated Service Planning

Our Coordinated Service Planning program assists children and youth with complex needs, and their families, manage and coordinate their multiple services.

A Coordinated Service Planner will help you develop one coordinated plan across all service providers.

FASD Service

Our FASD Consultation Service provides support to children, youth, and families living with FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders) by:

Providing information about FASD
Linking children, youth and families with the supports they need
Helping families to coordinate their services
Linking families to caregiver support

Our FASD Consultant works closely with, and is a member of the Hamilton FASD Collaborative. The Hamilton FASD Collaborative offers the following services: case conferences, in-service education for professionals, training/education, and caregiver support. The FASD Consultant can refer families to these services.

Service Types in Hamilton

Below you will find some general information about the types of services in Hamilton for children and youth presenting with developmental, FASD, Autism and/or complex needs.

Child and Youth Developmental Services in Hamilton

Here is a summary of the types of child and youth developmental services available in Hamilton. These services are provided by various local agencies.

If you are interested in learning more about children’s services or you want to look for services, please contact us at 905-570-8888 or info@contacthamilton.ca. A physician’s referral is not required for you to call us. For a full description of what Contact Hamilton does and what you can expect when you call Contact Hamilton, please click here.

CLINICAL SERVICES:

There are a range of clinical services that can be helpful.

An assessment is an evaluation or diagnostic service that is completed by a professional. Information about the child’s/youth’s and family’s strengths, needs and resources is collected and treatment recommendations are made.

Therapies:

Therapies may consist of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech-language, audiology, infant development, psychology, and social work.

Behaviour Services:

Behaviour services and supports provide behaviour assessment and/or treatment of behaviour issues.

LIFE/SOCIAL SKILLS:

Services and supports that help children and youth develop daily living and social skills. These supports are often provided in a group environment.

RECREATION SERVICES:

Includes a range of recreational programs and camps aimed at enhancing a child’s/youth’s social skills and social inclusion.

FAMILY/CAREGIVER EDUCATION AND SUPPORT:

A broad range of information and education resources and supports to families and caregivers to improve their ability to understand and support children and youth with developmental concerns and autism spectrum disorder.

PARENTING SUPPORTS:

A wide variety of skills-based parenting programs about child rearing and parenting.

RESPITE:

Respite is planned and provides a break or temporary relief to allow families of children and youth with developmental disabilities to have some time away from their care activities. It also gives children and youth opportunities to be with others, have fun and develop social and recreational skills. Respite may be provided out of their home or in their home. The amount of respite varies depending on need and availability.

FUNDING SERVICES:

Special Services At Home (SSAH): SSAH is a respite funding program, operated by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. SSAH is for children with developmental and/or physical disabilities.
Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities (ACSD): ACSD is a program of the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS). It provides financial assistance to parents to help with extra-ordinary costs related to their child’s severe disability. It is a direct funding program for low- and moderate-income families.

Transition to Adult Developmental Services

Transition planning is a process that helps youth with a developmental disability, aged 14 – 18 years, and their families, develop a planned and coordinated transition from childhood to adulthood. It is an ongoing process as plans or circumstances change.

The main goal of transition planning is to support the young person in ways that help them live in the community, maintaining and strengthening the young person’s connections with family, friends and people who are important to the person. It also helps to strengthen connections with their community, culture, and religion.

Youth and their family are involved in the planning process and, as much as possible, decisions about care and services are driven by the youth’s needs, preferences, interests and strengths. Transition Planning includes the involvement of people who are important to the young person, as determined by the young person.

For more information about Transition Planning, please click here.

Please Note: youth with developmental disabilities who are 16 and older are encouraged to connect with Developmental Services Ontario Hamilton Niagara Region (DSO HNR) if they are interested in seeking adult developmental services at age 18. You can refer directly to the DSOHNR or Contact Hamilton’s Children and Youth Services Program can help you make a referral to the DSO HNR. After a referral is made, the DSO HNR will confirm the youth’s eligibility for adult developmental services. You will be asked to provide a psychological assessment to help with the eligibility confirmation process. If the youth is confirmed eligible, the DSO HNR can then help the youth and family apply for adult developmental services, including Passport funding, for when the youth turns 18. For information about this process, please call us and we will explain what is involved.

For information about the DSOHNR, you can visit: www.dsohnr.ca

Autism Services

The Ontario Autism Program offers support to all eligible families of children with autism. You can purchase the services and supports that are most important to you and your child. For information about how to register for the Ontario Autism Program, please visit: https://www.ontario.ca/page/autism-ontario

Education, Workshops and Parenting Supports

The Community Education Service helps connect parents to high-quality information and courses about common childhood problems. Through this website the reader can access course flyers, search the web database of courses and workshops and review booklists on various childhood problems.

For information, please visit: https://www.mchcommunityed.ca/

Last Updated March 29th, 2025