Balance Specialized Classroom

This level is designed for children who are working on the foundational skills needed to be successful in group learning settings, including:

• Social-Emotional Learning and Emotional Regulation
  Self awareness, understanding emotions, and learning to recognize and manage big feelings with calming tools and adult support.

• Foundational Executive Functioning & Participation Skills
  Building focus and engagement during group activities, participating in structured learning and increasing successful engagement in group activities.

• Following Routines & Transition Skills
  Practicing flexibility and adaptability to change, following schedules, and shifting between preferred and non preferred activities (such as school work).

• Sensory Regulation & Awareness
  Understanding sensory needs and learning tools to stay calm and regulated in different environments, recognizing when they are becoming dysregulated and asking for breaks when needed.

• Foundational Social Skills
  Turn-taking, waiting, sharing, initiating interactions with peers, and social game play.

• Communication & Self-Advocacy
  Learning to ask for help, communicating with staff and peers and express basic needs.

This level supports children who are ready to expand on foundational skills and build more advanced abilities to succeed in school and social settings, including:

• Executive Functioning
  Strengthening focus, organization, flexible thinking, impulse control, and time management.

• Social-Emotional Learning
  Understanding emotions, developing coping strategies, building empathy, and navigating peer dynamics.

• Complex Social Skills
  Conflict resolution, perspective-taking, group collaboration, and friendship-building.

• Self-Advocacy & Independence
  Expressing needs respectfully, using accommodations, and developing independence in routines and responsibilities.

• Task Persistence & Problem Solving
  Building resilience, managing frustration, and completing multi-step tasks with reduced support.

• Play & Creativity
  Engaging in imaginative and cooperative play to strengthen language, social, and cognitive skills.

Our teaching approach is both structured and play-based, designed to meet the unique needs of neurodivergent learners in a way that is engaging, supportive, and effective.

We focus on:

• Structured, Predictable Routines
  Daily schedules provide consistency, with clearly defined time blocks that help children feel safe and focused.

• Play-Based & Hands-On Learning
  Skills are taught through interactive games, creative activities, and experiential learning that feels fun—not forced.

• Targeted Skill Building
  Each child has individualized goals supported by evidence-based teaching strategies across key developmental areas.

• Movement Breaks & Sensory Support
  Built-in movement and regulation breaks help kids stay calm, focused, and emotionally balanced throughout the day.

• Real-World Application
  We offer community outings and life skills practice to help children apply what they’ve learned in real-life settings—whether it’s navigating a grocery store, taking turns on a nature walk, or practicing social skills at the park.

• Small Group Ratios
  Low staff-to-child ratios allow for both individualized support and meaningful peer interaction.

• Multidisciplinary Methods
  We incorporate elements of ABA, ACT, CBT, occupational therapy, and trauma-informed care, always within a neurodiversity-affirming and strengths-based framework.

Our Balance Classroom team is made up of compassionate, highly trained professionals who specialize in supporting neurodivergent learners. Each member brings a unique skill set to ensure your child receives individualized, consistent, and high-quality care.

• Clinical Supervisor

  Your child’s program is overseen by a Clinical Supervisor, who may be a Registered Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) or a Registered Social Worker (MSW) with advanced training in education, psychology, applied behaviour analysis, or social work.

  All Clinical Supervisors are approved providers under the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) and bring extensive experience designing and overseeing therapeutic programs for neurodivergent children.

  They are responsible for:

  • Developing and customizing each child’s treatment plan and goals

  • Monitoring progress and adjusting strategies as needed

  • Ensuring the overall quality and clinical integrity of the program

  Primary Therapist / Lead Teacher

  Your child’s day-to-day guide and mentor is their Primary Therapist, often someone with a background in education, psychology, social work, or a related field. Many of our therapists are Registered Social Workers or qualifying clinical supervisors.

  Each primary therapist has completed specialized training in ABA, child development, and inclusive education, and is responsible for:

  • Delivering individualized programming

  • Facilitating group activities and learning sessions

  • Supporting your child’s daily progress and emotional well-being

  • Collaborating with the clinical supervisor to ensure consistency and growth

  Supporting Staff

  Our supporting team members bring warmth, energy, and expertise to the classroom. They typically hold diplomas or degrees in child development, autism and behavioural sciences, psychology, or related areas.

  Supporting staff are responsible for:

  • Providing direct, hands-on support during learning and play

  • Assisting with transitions, regulation, and peer interactions

  • Helping implement each child’s individualized plan under the direction of the therapist and supervisor

  Together, our team ensures that every child in the Balance Classroom is seen, supported, and celebrated—every step of the way.

Our Balance Program is a therapeutic alternative education program for neurodivergent youth, designed to strengthen the social, emotional, executive functioning, and self-regulation skills often overlooked in academic settings. Whether your child attends a few days a week or uses the program more consistently, Balance offers a supportive space to help them grow, thrive, and build essential life skills.

Here’s what you can expect when your child joins:

• Personalized Intake & Assessment
  We begin with a collaborative intake and skills-based assessment to understand your child’s strengths, needs, and current developmental level across key learning domains.

• Individualized Goals & Programming
  Based on your child’s unique profile, we create a customized skill development plan with clear, achievable goals tailored to support their growth in communication, emotional regulation, social interaction, independence, and more.

• Evidence-Based, Hands-On Learning
  We teach evidence based strategies in fun, engaging, and meaningful ways, through activities your child will actually enjoy.

• Consistent Communication & Support
  Parents receive weekly parent portal updates, mid term progress check-in and end of term progress report. We also offer the opportunity to collaborate with our team to ensure we’re working together to support your child across home, school, and therapy environments.

• Safe, Small-Group Environment
  With low ratios and highly trained staff, your child is supported in a calm, flexible environment where their needs are understood and honored.

This is more than just a program—it’s a place where your child can feel successful, connected, and confident.

Our Balance Program is grounded in positive psychology, child development, behaviour analysis, and neuroscience. We integrate evidence-based strategies from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) to teach the skills that matter most.

We support growth across key learning domains, including:

• Mental health & psychological flexibility

• Social-emotional learning & emotional regulation

• Executive functioning

• Communication & language

• Real-world life skills

• Social & friendship skills

• Academic readiness

Our program is clinically overseen by a Registered Behaviour Analyst and a Registered Social Worker, ensuring that every child receives high-quality, individualized support.

Cost, Funding and Insurance

This is a therapy based group program, our group rate is $55.00 per hour.

• Half days (3 hours): $165.00 per day

• Full days (6 hours): $330.00 per day

This program is eligible under the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) funding and we are an approved provider of core clinical services.

This program may also be eligible for Insurance Coverage for Registered Social Workers