Families across Wellington County and the Region of Waterloo are seeing faster access to pediatric therapy thanks in part to a new group screening model launched by KidsAbility. This innovative approach, recently featured in the Wellington Advertiser, is designed to reduce wait times and enhance the intake experience for children and their families.
The model replaces traditional one-to-one screenings with group “play date” sessions, allowing clinicians to observe children in a natural social setting while simultaneously engaging families in early discussions about treatment plans. Combined with the addition of group assessment and treatment models, we can now see three clients in the same amount of time when we would previously have seen only one. According to Brendan Wylie-Toal, Director of Research and Innovation at KidsAbility, these approaches also significantly improving the quality of care and family experience.
These simple yet impactful changes are already making waves and could serve as a blueprint for pediatric therapy programs across the province.
