The Comox Valley Child Development Association helps children, youth, and adults with diverse abilities reach their full potential. They offer a wide range of services from early intervention programs for infants through to community integration support for older kids and adults. Their team includes speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and behaviour consultants who work both at their Courtenay centre and out in the community with families, caregivers, and teachers.

Programs include infant development, early intervention services, JumpStart Preschool, and specialized support like The Autism Program and Supported Child Development. They also run the Friendship Project and provide family support for children and youth with special needs. Beyond direct services, they offer childcare resource and referral to help families navigate options in the Valley.

Worth knowing: they’re currently dealing with staffing shortages in specialized therapy roles, particularly speech-language pathology and physiotherapy. They’re actively recruiting and using interim supports through the BC Centre for Ability while they fill positions. The organization is CARF accredited and serves the area from Mud Bay to Oyster River. Their office on 3rd Street in Courtenay is open weekdays from 8:30am to 4:30pm.