“A” Professionals

Aboriginal Infant Development Consultant

Aboriginal Infant Development (AIDP) Consultants work together with families to support the growth and development of aboriginal children during their most important years of development—from birth up to the age of 5 years. They will help set up individual programs plans and activities either during home visits or in group settings with particular focus on cultural safety¹ (see full Glossary) for the family and child.

Consultants work under the supervision of a program supervisor who provides guidance for the team in terms of referrals, assessment and follow-up as well as administrative leadership.  The program includes support staff and workers that  report to the program coordinator and work within a team model, together with AIDP consultants.

1 For more information, please click http://www.ruralhealth.utas.edu.au/indigenous-health/RevisedCulturalSafetyPaper-pha.pdf

Aboriginal Supported Child Development Consultant

Aboriginal Supported Child Development  (ASCD) consultant provide culturally appropriate support services to aboriginal children with special needs.  Services are provided in child care centres or in home and community environments.  Developed and run by local aboriginal communities, programs are culturally responsive² to their community.

Services are provided for children from birth to 12 years of age who have a developmental delay or disability.  Services for youth aged 13 to 19 years may be provided on an individual basis.

Aboriginal Supported Child Development  program (ASCDP) consultants work with parents, teachers and other school support staff to support the needs of children in terms of their physical and motor skills, cognitive and language development, social, emotional and behavioural needs.  The ASCDP program aims to maintain a spiritual connection to the alues embraced by the aboriginal communities they serve both  on- and off-reserve throughout the province.

2 Aboriginal Child Care Society on Developing Culturally Focused Aboriginal Early Childhood Programs Source: http://www.acc-society.bc.ca/files_new/documents/CulturalHandbookWeb_000.pdf