Support and Inclusion

Group Ready Guidelines for Integrated Opportunities 

To ensure the success of every participant, it’s essential that all individuals are ‘Group Ready’ before joining a registered program. In our integrated opportunities participants will be alongside others who also enjoy the sport/activity, and who vary in skill and ability. These programs are designed for participants of a set age range and are progressive in nature. To be group ready, a participant must be able to:

• Follow directions and instructions from staff members in a large group setting.
• Be comfortable interacting with peers of the same age in a group environment.
• Engage in the program safely for themselves and other participants. While participation is tailored to each individual's needs, it is recommended that participants have the ability to join in activities such as indoor and outdoor games, crafts, and experiments.

If a participant is disruptive, exhibits unsafe behaviour, or struggles to follow group directions, staff may determine that the participant is not 'Group Ready.' In such cases, the participant may be withdrawn and referred to a more suitable program.

Registration Guidelines: Adapted Opportunities and Drop-ins

• Participants can register themselves for any adapted programs, registration into the "Inclusion Support Request" is NOT required for adapted programs.
• For drop-in activities, Town staff do not provide inclusion support. External support persons are welcome to attend all drop-in activities at no charge. Please notify customer service and the program attendant at entry that you are joining the drop-in to provide support.

Internal Support

Inclusion support is provided by Town staff who receives general training in program adaptations, behaviour management, and verbal assistance techniques. These staff are usually students and do not provide the same level of support as educational assistants or behaviour therapists. Inclusion support is recommended for participants with a disability/diverse needs that require:

• Monitoring and verbal prompting with daily tasks (ex. verbal prompting for dressing, toileting and eating).
• Hand over hand guidance or support.
• Benefits from reminders and redirection when participating in a group setting or completing daily tasks.
• Receives additional support at school, home or in the community. 

When Requesting Support:

• Inclusion support requests must be requested at least 2 weeks prior to the program start date.
• Support is subject to staff availability.
• A Participant Profile must be completed and submitted to the Specialty Programs team three (3) days prior to the program start date.

The Specialty Programs team will review your profile to determine the best support options available. Once assessed, you will be contacted to confirm your request and address any additional questions. If we are unable to provide the necessary support, an external worker will be required.

External Support Worker

Participants are able to bring their own external support worker to help assist in any program and are admitted at no charge and are not required to register. External support workers must meet the following requirements:

• Must be at least 16 years of age and know the participant.
• Can assist participants with personal and medical care (e.g., toileting needs or administration of medication) as arranged by the parent/guardian.
• Actively takes part in fully scheduled activities where the participant is engaging.
• Encourages the participant to follow program/camp rules and behaviour guidelines.
• Shall not supervise and/or support other children in the program/camp.
  
• Completion of the External Support Worker Form.

For more information on the external support worker process, please contact the Specialty Programs team at recreation.inclusion@caledon.ca 

Note: If the participant will be attending a recreational program with an external support worker, you must register for the desired program and the Inclusion Support Request barcode and notify the Specialty Programs team at recreation.inclusion@caledon.ca as there is an additional registration for the external support worker. 

The External Support Worker form can be found in our forms tab at the bottom of the page

Behaviour Guidelines

The Town of Caledon aims to offer recreation programs that are safe, barrier-free, accessible, and promote a healthy, active lifestyle.

To ensure a positive, safe, and secure environment for everyone, participants are asked to review and follow the Behaviour Guidelines for Recreation Programs and Camps.

If a participant is causing harm to themselves, others, or staff, or is engaging in unsafe behaviour, staff may need to remove the participant from the program. In such cases, the parent or guardian will be asked to pick up the participant immediately. In situations where immediate pick-up isn't possible, you have 30 minutes to collect the participant.

1. Browse our registered programs and courses.
2. Register a participant for the desired program, course or lesson (ex. basketball or preschool dance).
3. After registering a participant in the program, course or lesson, complete an Inclusion Support Request for the relevant category:

• Sports, Creative and Learning navigate to: Support and Inclusion (Sports, Creative and Learning) and select the location the participant is registered at.
• Skating Lessons navigate to: Support and Inclusion (Skating) Booking Page and select the location the participant is registered at.
• Swimming Lessons navigate to: Support and Inclusion (Swimming) Booking Page and select the location the participant is registered at.

Once the participant is enrolled in both the program/lesson and the inclusion support request barcode, a member of the Specialty Programs team will contact you to discuss the participant's individual needs, complete a participant profile, answer any questions and confirm staffing availability.

Note: Space is limited, and support will be arranged based on staff availability. Please check the 'Group Ready' tab to ensure the participant is group ready.

 How to Request Inclusion Support- Camps

• For Seasonal and PA Day Camps, click on your preferred camp then select Inclusion Support Request and complete the questionnaire, indicating your preferred location and date.
• For Summer Camps, select Support and Inclusion Camps and complete the questionnaire, indicating your preferred location and date.

Within the questionnaire, download and complete the Participant Profile and send to the Support and Inclusion team recreation.inclusion@caledon.ca

Participant Profiles are updated each season and are designed to ensure a successful and safe experience for the participant and the Inclusion Counsellor. Participant Profiles are kept confidential and will be shared only with the staff working directly with the participant. Participant Profiles must be submitted at least one (1) week before camp start dates. If the profile is not submitted on time or is incomplete, entry into camp may be delayed or denied until it is fully completed.

After registration, we will reach out to discuss the participant's individual needs, staffing availability, finalize camp registration, and answer any questions.

Note: Space is limited, and support will be arranged based on staff availability. Please check the 'Group Ready' tab to ensure the participant is group ready.

 How to reserve the Snoezelen Room

• Bookings are for 30-minute sessions.

• Support persons must complete a room orientation on how to use the room before their first visit. A room orientation can be scheduled with a Customer Service representative at no additional cost.

• For the best experience, maintaining a 1-to-1 ratio in the room is highly recommended. However, multiple participants may participate if the support person deems it appropriate, with a maximum of 4 people in the room at one time. For multiple client requests, please contact the Specialty Programs team at recreation.inclusion@caledon.ca 

• Participants should not be left alone in the room without a support person, parent, or guardian.

Regular Hours

Monday – Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Weekends: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Summer Hours (July and August)

Monday to Friday: 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Weekends: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

To find out more information about the Snoezelen Room or to make reservations please contact Customer Service at 905-584-2272 ext.7322.

Participant Profiles

Participant Profiles are required for all individuals needing additional support in our programs.

• Seasonal Program profiles must be submitted three (3) days before the program start of the program
• Seasonal Camps and Adapted Program profiles are due one (1) week prior to the start of the program/camp
• Summer Camp profiles are due at the start of June.

For Learn to Skate, Swimming lessons, Sports, and Creative and Learning registrations please complete the:

• Seasonal Programs Participant Profile 

For Seasonal Camps, Summer Camps and Adapted Programs, please complete the:

• Camps and Adapted Programs Participant Profile 

Once you have completed the profile, please send it to the Specialty Programs Team at Recreation.Inclusion@caledon.ca. A team member will reach out to discuss your participants individual needs, answer any questions, and confirm staffing availability.

Behaviour Guidelines

To ensure a positive, safe, and secure environment for everyone, participants are asked to review and follow the Behaviour Guidelines for Recreation Programs and Camps.

External Support Worker 

If the participant will be attending a recreational program with an external support worker, you must register for the desired program and the Inclusion Support Request barcode and notify the Specialty Programs team at recreation.inclusion@caledon.ca as there is an additional registration for the external support worker which includes the completion of an External Support Worker Form.

Community Resources and Links

Partners for Planning 

Brampton Caledon Community Living  

Caledon Community Services

Kids Pathways Peel 

infoPeel

SNIP (Special Needs Information Peel)

Respite Services - Peel

Kerry’s Place Autism Services

BrightStart Caledon Family Centre - Building Strong Families