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Surrey Place Becomes Lead Provider for Blind-Low Vision Early Intervention Program in Southeastern Ontario 

NOVEMBER 1, 2025

Beginning November 1, 2025, Surrey Place will become the lead agency and service provider for the Blind-Low Early Intervention Program (BLVEIP) for Southeastern Ontario, transitioning from KidsInclusive – KHSC who has led BLVEIP services in the region for the past 2 years. This exciting development comes at the invitation of KidsInclusive, with the full support of the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS).

With extensive experience in delivering specialized programs for individuals and families, Surrey Place has been a recognized organization working in the developmental sector since the 1960s. Surrey Place is currently the lead agency and service provider for the Blind-Low Vision Early Intervention Program (BLVEIP) in Ontario.

Vision and Learning Development

Vision is a critical component of early learning, with 85 percent of all early learning occurring through vision. Children who are born with (or acquire in early childhood) blindness or low vision have a higher chance for developmental delays. That’s why early intervention is key to helping young children with visual impairment build their capacity to meet development and communication goals.

Intervention for visual impairments is most effective when it is found early. Younger children have the ability to build pathways for vision around the affected areas and improve visual processing, according to the Ministry of Children and Youth Services.

Common ways to identify any vision impairments might include:

  • Swollen or encrusted eyelids
  • Lack of eye contact by three months of age
  • Issues with watching or following an object by three months of age
  • Lack of coordinated eye movements or frequent jerky eye movements
  • Excessive rubbing, blinking, or squinting of the eyes

Learn more

Learn about the signs to look for and why testing for visual impairment is important through the Ministry of Children and Youth Services page.

Blind-Low Vision Early Intervention Program

Our Blind-Low Vision Early Intervention Program (BLVEIP) provides support to families whose child might be diagnosed with vision impairments. The program provides an array of in-home support, community support, and consultation services, from birth to school entry.

The Blind-Low Vision Early Intervention Program at Surrey Place includes the following components:

  • In-home appointments
  • Early learning and childcare centre consultation
  • Professional consultation and collaboration
  • Attending ophthalmology appointments with the family
  • Written reports, assessments and Family Service Plans 

The partnership with KidsInclusive and Surrey Place has been a seamless transition. As the provincial lead for BLVEIP training and development, Surrey Place is excited to expand partnerships and services to reach more families across Ontario. 

If you live in Toronto, Halton and Peel, Durham and York or Southeastern Ontario, you can view our website to learn more about how you can make a referral to our BLVEIP.

We’re really excited to be joining the Kingston community and expanding our services through the Blind-Low Vision Early Intervention Program. It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect with new families and partners, and to continue helping children with visual impairments reach their full potential.

Lindsay Hillier, Manager, Blind-Low Vision Early Intervention Program

KidsInclusive is proud to have worked alongside Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada to provide the BLVIEP program to families and children in the Southeast region of the province. We are confident that the transfer of this program to Surrey Place will help to ensure families have continued expert and sustainable service now, and for years to come.

Christine Kasserra, Interim Director, KidsInclusive

About Surrey Place: Surrey Place is a not-for-profit organization that helps people of all ages with autism-, developmental-, and sensory-related concerns push the boundaries of what’s possible to achieve new victories. With a holistic circle of care approach, Surrey Place brings together caring clinicians, staff, valued partners and other experts to collaborate for the client’s best interests. The organization works with clients throughout their lives, creating inventive and innovative programs so they can keep building their skills, grow their self-confidence and set their sights even higher. Since 1962, Surrey Place has supported people with varying and complex needs in the Toronto region and more recently, Northwestern Ontario. Surrey Place is accredited with Exemplary Standing by Accreditation Canada through the healthcare program.

About KidsInclusive: Kingston Health Sciences Centre, formerly known as the Child Development Centre, is located at the Hotel Dieu Hospital site and is one of 21 Children’s Treatment Centres in Ontario.  For over 50 years we have proudly provided rehabilitation and support services for children and youth with physical, neurological and/or developmental challenges in the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington counties as well as communities in Lanark, Leeds and Grenville counties.

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By 2 months

Has your baby had their hearing screened? YES NO

By 6 months

Does the child?

Startle in response to loud noises? YES NO
Turn to where a sound is coming from? YES NO
Make different cries for different needs (hungry, tired)? YES NO
Watch your face as you talk? YES NO
Smile/laugh in response to your smiles and laughs? YES NO
Imitate coughs or other sounds such as ah, eh, buh YES NO

By 9 months

Does the child?

Respond to their name? YES NO
Respond to the telephone ringing or a knock at the door? YES NO
Understand being told no? YES NO
Get what they want through using gestures (reaching to be picked up)? YES NO
Play social games with you (Peek-a-Boo)? YES NO
Enjoy being around people? YES NO
Babble and repeat sounds such as babababa or duhduhduh? YES NO

By 12 months

Does the child?

Follow simple one-step directions (sit down)? YES NO
Look across the room to a toy when adult points at it? YES NO
Consistently use three to five words? YES NO
Use gestures to communicate (waves hi/bye, shakes head for no)? YES NO
Get your attention using sounds, gestures and pointing while looking at your eyes? YES NO
Bring you toys to show you? YES NO
Perform for social attention and praise? YES NO
Combine lots of sounds together as though talking (abada baduh abee)? YES NO
Show an interest in simple picture books? YES NO

By 18 months

Does the child?

Understand the meaning of in and out, off and on? YES NO
Point to more than 2 body parts when asked? YES NO
Use at least 20 words consistently? YES NO
Respond with words or gestures to simple questions (Where's teddy? What's that?)? YES NO
Demonstrate some pretend play with toys (gives teddy bear a drink, pretends a bowl is a hat)? YES NO
Make at least four different consonant sounds (p ,b, m, n, d, g, w, h)? YES NO
Enjoy being read to and sharing simple books with you? YES NO
Point to pictures using one finger? YES NO

By 2 years

Does the child?

Follow two-step directions (Go find your teddy bear and show it to Grandma.)? YES NO
Use 100 to 150 words? YES NO
Use at least two pronouns (you, me, mine)? YES NO
Consistently combine two to four words in short phrases (Daddy hat. Truck go down.)? YES NO
Enjoy being around other children? YES NO
Begin to offer toys to other children and imitate other children's actions and words? YES NO
Use words that are understood by others 50 to 60 per cent of the time? YES NO
Form words or sounds easily and without effort? YES NO
Hold books the right way up and turn the pages? YES NO
Read to stuffed animals or toys? YES NO
Scribble with crayons? YES NO

By 30 months

Does the child?

Understand the concepts of size (big/little) and quantity (a little/a lot, more)? YES NO
Use some adult grammar (two cookies, bird flying, I jumped)? YES NO
Use over 350 words? YES NO
Use action words such as run, spill, fall? YES NO
Participate in some turn-taking activities with peers, using both words and toys? YES NO
Demonstrate concern when another child is hurt or sad? YES NO
Combine several actions in play (puts blocks in the train and drives the train, drops the blocks off.)? YES NO
Put sounds at the beginning of most words? YES NO
Use words with two or more syllables or beats (ba-na-na, com-pu-ter, a-pple)? YES NO
Recognize familiar logos and signs involving print (Stop sign)? YES NO
Remember and understand familiar stories? YES NO

By 3 years

Does the child?

Understand who, what, where and why questions? YES NO
Create long sentences using five to eight words? YES NO
Talk about past events (trip to grandparents house, day at child care)? YES NO
Tell simple stories? YES NO
Show affection for favourite playmates? YES NO
Engage in multi-step pretend play (pretending to cook a meal, repair a car)? YES NO
Talk in a way that most people outside of the family understand what she/he is saying most of the time? YES NO
Have an understanding of the function of print (menus, lists, signs)? YES NO
Show interest in, and awareness of, rhyming words? YES NO
Read to stuffed animals or toys? YES NO
Scribble with crayons? YES NO

By 4 years

Does the child?

Follow directions involving three or more steps (First get some paper, then draw a picture and give it to Mommy)? YES NO
Use adult type grammar? YES NO
Tell stories with a beginning, middle and end? YES NO
Talk to try and solve problems with adults and with other children? YES NO
Show increasingly complex imaginary play? YES NO
Talk in a way that is understood by strangers almost all the time? YES NO
Generate simple rhymes (cat-bat)? YES NO
Match some letters with their sounds (letter b says buh, letter t says tuh)? YES NO