Is the Chris Rose Therapy Centre for Autism a school?
We are a therapy centre. All our children who attend the Centre are still enrolled in a home school, which can be a brick and mortar school or an online school. We are not a part of the ministry of education — we will work with a child’s school to ensure the best experience but are not connected to any school district. Academics are still handled by the child’s school of enrollment.
Is the Chris Rose Therapy Centre for Autism a daycare?
The Chris Rose Therapy Centre for Autism does not have daycare facilities — we offer a school-based program from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM on a school-based calendar. Please reach out to the YMCA-YWCA’s Child Care Referral Service for information on daycares in Kamloops.
Are you a for-profit organization?
The Chris Rose Therapy Centre for Autism is a registered charity (125880401RR0001). We do receive grants and government funding for the work that we do with children, youth and adults with ASD, but we also do a lot of fundraising throughout the year to raise funds for these programs. Parents of the children in our day program are responsible for many of the fundraisers benefitting that program.
How do I enroll my child in the day program?
The first step involves reaching out to your child’s school of enrollment. Each school or district can have a different person to reach out to — it may be the principal, the learning assistance resource teacher, or your child’s classroom teacher. If your child attends a school that is part of School District #73, the Inclusive Education contacts are through the Henry Grube Education Centre. You can reach them at 250-376-2266.
How does someone enroll in the adult program?
This service is designed to meet the needs of individuals with ASD that are 19 years of age or older and clients of Community Living British Columbia (CLBC). Please connect with CLBC if interested.
Are you an ABA-based centre?
We are not an ABA based program. We use an eclectic variety of therapies depending on the needs of the family and the child, which include music therapy, speech therapy, sensory integration and related therapies, and life skills training.
What hours is the school-based program offered?
The hours of the program are 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM. Children attend our program in addition to or in replacement of their home school from September through June.
Does a child have to live in Kamloops to attend therapies at the Centre?
A child does not have to live in Kamloops to attend the Centre. We are not able to provide transportation so the family would be required to drop off and pick up, and initiate the arrangements with the child’s school of enrollment to see if they agree. We also recommend checking with the Autism Funding Unit if families are wanting to use funding for the program. All children in the program have an autism diagnosis.
How does the extended program work?
The extended program is for children aged 6 to 18 and takes place outside of the regular school hours (generally Monday through Friday in the 3 PM to 5 PM range, once per week. September through June). It is a community based program, so children work out in the community with staff on goals established with the family. There is a wait-list for this program.
Do you provide autism assessments?
The young men and women that we work with have already been diagnosed. Autism BC has some helpful links to direct families in seeking assessments for children and adults, and for families who reach certain criteria, Variety BC offers grants to assist with obtaining private assessments for families who meet the criteria. (As of May 2023, they have temporarily closed the application process to allow them to address the applications already received.)
How do I apply for autism funding or seek assistance through the province for my child?
There is quite a bit of information available for families to guide them through the process starting with examining the possibility that a child may have autism through applying for funding and seeking resources, including A Parent’s Handbook: Your Guide to Autism Programs. Please visit their site on Autism Spectrum Disorder to see more of the ways they can help. If your autism assessment was completed outside of British Columbia, it must be confirmed by a qualified B.C. specialist before you can apply for autism funding. (More information.)
Are there online resources or support groups in Kamloops for caregivers / families?
There are a couple of Facebook groups that are geared toward peer-to-peer support (Autism IN Kamloops), parents only (Kamloops & Area ASD (Autism) Parent Support Group) or caregiver/respite resources (Kamloops-Caregiver/Respite Workers Unite). Note: We are not affiliated with any of the aforementioned sites. These are resources that other parents have mentioned to us. The Canucks Autism Group also hosts a number of events throughout the year in Kamloops as well as other locations in BC.