MISSION: Helping children with special needs reach their potential.

VISION: Our children have the best opportunities to succeed in all areas of their lives.

VALUES: The well-being, safety, and success of our children is the highest priority we have.

Who We Are

Since 1953, The Centre for Child Development of the Lower Mainland has worked to overcome societal barriers for those with disabilities and empower vulnerable children and families throughout the South Fraser Region.

We started as a grass-roots group of parents cooperatively organizing transportation to therapy sessions in Vancouver and have grown throughout the decades to become the largest CARF accredited Outpatient Medical Rehabilitation and Child & Youth Services Program (Pediatric Specialty) in Western Canada.

At The Centre, we work with families to provide comprehensive, collaborative medical rehabilitation programs and multi-disciplinary therapeutic services to children with a wide range of abilities and conditions.  We now serve over 7,000 children each year through more than 70,000 sessions at over 353 locations in Surrey, White Rock, Delta, and Langley.

We focus on providing service with integrity, caring and compassion. We consistently challenge ourselves to improve upon best practices and lead our field. Our professionals include: paediatric psychologists, family service and key workers, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, physiotherapists, early childhood educators, supported child development specialists, recreation specialists, dietician, doctor, victims services workers, social workers and police.

Our Approach

F-Words for Child Development*

The F-words emphasize your child’s strengths, interests and your family’s values. They remind us to focus on what children CAN do.

They highlight the importance of all the elements of a child’s health and well-being, including social relationships and meaningful participation at home, in school, childcare and in the community.

*Based on research & built on the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Framework. www.canchild.ca/f-words

Accessibility, Diversity and Inclusion

The Centre has long committed to, and continues to advance, a barrier-free, safe, and welcoming space for people of all abilities, ethnicities, races, nationalities, cultural heritage, genders, sexual orientations, religions, and social and economic backgrounds. We acknowledge the need for deliberate and persistent reflection and refinement of our practices to ensure our services continue to advance accessibility and cultural responsiveness.

Our practice of conscious inclusivity, cultural sensitivity and equitable access respects and values everyone’s differences and unique experiences. We honour, respect and adhere to all United Nations declarations on the rights of peoples, and federal and provincial statutes on human rights. The Centre respects and honours the culture and heritage of all persons, including Indigenous peoples in accordance with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action and BC’s Recognition & Reconciliation Protocol on First Nations Children, Youth and Families.

We recognize and work to overcome barriers to access including systemic and structural discrimination, social disparity, and economic status. We actively facilitate partnerships and work with community leaders to help solve the issues facing children and families from all backgrounds.

Committee participation:

• City of Surrey Healthy Communities Partnership
• City of Surrey Social Equity and Diversity Committee
• Surrey Child Care Task Force
  • Surrey Child Care Action Plan
  • Surrey Child Care Report