Frequently Asked Questions

Please send a healthy snack and drink if they will be in our care for several hours or a meal if the session occurs during a meal time. Please also send diapers and wipes if these are used. A change of clothes is recommended in case of an accident or a messy activity.

Please label any items with your child’s first name and last initial to ensure all items are returned to the correct owner at the end of sessions.

Yes, please provide an appropriate car seat or booster seat for your child to use while being transported by Little Steps staff. The seat will only be used for your child and will be returned at the end of each session. Little Steps has extra car seats and booster seats in case of emergency or the event that the family does not have a vehicle.

Little Steps Therapy Services enforces a strict no food sharing policy to ensure the observation of any special diets or food allergies our clients may have. Parent’s permission will be obtained before the child is allowed to eat any food that may be brought in for special occasions. We also indicate any dietary restrictions by placing an alert label on your child’s program binder so all staff working with them will be aware.

If your child is ill, please cancel the appointment by calling the office at 250-386-1171. Therapy is hard work for children, so it is important that they have time to rest and recover from their illness. Our staff also work with many children and do not want to get sick themselves or pass on illness to other children and families.

If a child becomes sick during a session, (high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, green or yellow nasal discharge), we will notify the parent and have them pick the child up early.

The staff member will notify the office and have you called to obtain your estimated time of arrival. If you cannot be reached, we will try alternate numbers on the contact sheet including the emergency contact person.

If the interventionist or clinician has another appointment scheduled to start immediately after your child’s, your child may be supervised by another available Little Steps employee until your arrival. You will be charged for the additional time that your child was in our care.

The relationship that you and your child form with the Interventionist is special and you may ask them if they would like to care for your child after hours. Staff members are cautioned regarding these dual relationships as the child may get used to having fun and playing during babysitting and then have a hard time adjusting when it is time to work during intervention sessions.

Any babysitting or respite arrangements are privately contracted and are not the responsibility of Little Steps. Little Steps insurance does not cover employees during these times.

If one of the Interventionists or Clinical Team Members are not a good fit for your child or family, please contact our Clinical Director, Ali Mead, through our offices at (250) 386-1171. It is important to us that you feel comfortable and supported by all members of your team. Ali will ensure that your concerns are addressed and changes are made. There doesn’t have to be a specific reason – if it doesn’t feel right, we can adjust things to make it better.

All financial issues can be answered by Lynn Martindale (Director of Finances). Please call the office at 250-386-1171. Any errors will be corrected immediately and resolved to your satisfaction.

There has been considerable attention in the media regarding the use of iPads for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). As with all other materials and equipment, the clinical team members must agree that there is sufficient therapeutic value for your child to use an iPad. Therapeutic value can include academic readiness programs (letter, number recognition, matching, colors, following instructions, etc.) or use as a communication device. iPad’s will not be approved for non-therapeutic reasons such as playing games or watching videos.  Please discuss with your child’s clinical team if you feel that an iPad would benefit your child.

We are committed to the Care, Welfare, Safety, and Security of all children and youth in our care. All individuals and agencies that care for children and youth are required by law to report suspected child maltreatment or neglect to the Ministry of Child and Family Development (MCFD).

Many of the staff at Little Steps are trained in Non-Violent Crisis Intervention, which includes verbal and non-verbal de-escalation techniques as well as the use of non-violent physical crisis intervention methods.

Little Steps Therapy Services is a medical service; therefore, we are required to maintain a treatment file for each client that we provide treatment for. This file contains consult notes from clinical therapists, reports, assessments, program data, and intake information. This file is double-locked in the main office and a locked filing cabinet. This file is only viewed by those working directly with the client. This file is required to be kept until the child reaches 29 years of age (10 years past turning 19 years of age). If you wish to obtain a copy of your child’s file, please contact the office and this will be prepared for you.

For the safety of parents, children, and staff, Little Steps follows the same closures as the local school districts. In the event of significant snowfall or ice buildup on roads, Little Steps centers will be closed and all sessions, including those at homes and in the community, will be canceled. Please listen to C-FAX 1070 for school closure broadcasts, check the Little Steps Facebook Page, and monitor school closures in the area.

Makeup sessions can be arranged once the weather improves.

In the event of a natural disaster, such as an earthquake, children will be kept in our care until a parent or guardian can be contacted and arrives. Little Steps has emergency supplies in the event of a disaster.

In case of evacuation, all children and staff will be relocated to the following locations:

Neighborhood (e.g., for fire): City Lights Church 550 Obed Ave Victoria, BC

Out of Neighborhood (flooding, earthquake): Pearkes Recreation Centre 3100 Tillicum Road Victoria, BC (250) 475-5400