As Wait Times for Local Kids’ Treatment Services Dip, Need for Support Remains High
Even with a double-digit drop in the number of kids waiting for care, demand for treatment services at Five Counties Children’s Centre remains steady and strong.
That’s a key takeaway from Five Counties’ newly-released Annual Report for 2023/24 that highlights the past year at the local children’s treatment centre which serves Peterborough, City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County and Northumberland County. The Annual Report was released at Five Counties’ 49th Annual Meeting held on June 25 in Peterborough.
In 2023/24, Five Counties saw its wait list for services drop year-over-year by 11.1 per cent to 2,309 kids/youth – the lowest level since the pandemic.
“While we’re glad to see our wait list decline, the fact is that even one child waiting for treatment services is one child too many,” says Scott Pepin, the Centre’s CEO. “Early intervention for kids with physical, developmental and communications needs is very important. That’s why we continue to attack wait lists so more kids can get the care they need when they need it close to home.”
Employees Deserve Credit
The drop in wait times is a credit to Five Counties staff, Pepin adds, especially with their efforts to support kids and families in many different ways, means and places. Even as the Centre served a near-record number of clients last year – just over 6,100 kids – and provided almost 53,100 visits for families, Five Counties was also the first children’s treatment centre in Ontario to switch to a new client information system.
“Being first to switch meant there was a steep learning curve, so I’m extremely grateful to our employees for their work and dedication throughout the transition,” Pepin says.
New Programs and Initiatives
In 2023/24, Five Counties also implemented new initiatives to improve access to care for kids and families:
This past year, Tiered Intervention was introduced for students receiving occupational therapy in schools. The goal is to shift more school-based and in-Centre services to this model, allowing for more kids to be seen with better outcomes.
The launch of the SmartStart Hub last fall makes it easier for families with concerns about their child’s development to get help. Using an online request form, families will be matched up to the right services their child needs at Five Counties or another community agency.
Record Year for Support
When it came to investing in kids, Five Counties was also very fortunate on two fronts.
Last year saw the Ontario government announce an historic investment in pediatric services that included a $2.025 million annual funding increase for Five Counties. The funds were used to invest in staff and services, helping to reduce wait times for kids and families.
On the fundraising side, Five Counties raised a record total of $1.216 million – the most in its history – that goes directly to support kids’ treatment services. Fundraising efforts in 2023/24 were punctuated by a $250,000 donation from a retired Peterborough-area couple, Dr. James and Sheila Ryan.
“At a time when demand for services and programs is on the rise, we’re extremely grateful for the record-setting support that helps Five Counties fill the gaps that can’t always be covered by government funding,” says Lyn Giles, Director of Fund Development at the Centre.
At the end of 2023, fundraising efforts for the Northumberland Backyard Project in Cobourg also successfully wrapped up. In 2024, this means that work is now underway to transform the backyard space at the Five Counties site in Cobourg into a safe, fully-accessible outdoor area that provides more space and options for treatment, recreation, cultural awareness and outdoor ed activities.
Other Key Statistics
Among other highlights in the Annual Report:
Of the approximately 6,100 kids/clients served by Five Counties last year, almost half were seen in Peterborough, 26% were seen in Northumberland, 22 per cent were seen in the City of Kawartha Lakes home, and 4 per cent were seen in Haliburton County.
Two-thirds of all kids supported by Five Counties were ages 5-12 years, with 22 per cent being age four and younger. The remaining 12 per cent of clients were ages 13-21 years.
For the third straight year, referrals to Five Counties topped the three thousand mark – in this case, being 3,067 kids/youth referred in 2023/24.
Just over 3,900 students received treatment services in local schools, the vast majority being for either occupational therapy or speech therapy.
