Hello.
Welcome to Monarch House, British Columbia. We are Canada’s largest independent provider of autism services. The first Monarch House opened its doors in 2009, in Burnaby, BC.
Our purpose was and remains to provide a safe and welcoming environment where families navigating the autism journey and can access quality services for their child and family all under one roof. Our promise is to create a world that works for families. A place where they can access timely services all along their journey without waitlists and ensure continuous services throughout different life stages and needs.
Monarch House has established itself as an industry leader and is the only national service provider in Canada. Recognized as a centre of excellence in supporting families and children with disabilities to thrive, we have expanded our network to include 7 locations in BC, 1 in Alberta and 6 in Ontario. We will continue to expand our network throughout Canada, to ensure families can access the support and services they deserve.
Family First.
All of our autism services in BC are family-centred, meaning parents are involved in all service decisions and are provided with education and modelling of skills to help them have successful interactions with their child.
Our Services
With locations throughout the lower mainland and the Fraser Valley, families can access our services without a referral or lengthy waits. We understand the urgency parents feel to get the support and services they need for their child and how complex and overwhelming the process can be knowing which services your child needs, what available funding sources there are and how the funding works.
Services offered in British Columbia include:
- Developmental screening clinics
- Assessments for Autism Diagnosis
- Early Intervention
- Behaviour Therapy*
- Speech Therapy*
- Occupational Therapy*
- Social Skills, Life skills, and motor skills groups*
- Special emphasis on our toileting routine program
- Family Events: Family Fun Day, Date nights, Friday Night Drop In, Support Groups for parents and siblings
*Scroll down to see further information regarding the specific autism services Monarch House British Columbia provides.
BC Staff can communicate in:
Funding
In BC, if a child is diagnosed with autism, they are eligible for $22,000 until they turn 6 years old, at which time the funding decreases to $6,000/yr until they are 19 years of age.
Depending on your child’s needs and age, additional funding sources are available, such as:
- At-Home Funding
- Infant Development Program
- Not-For-Profit and Various Charities
Developmental Screening Clinics
A no-cost appointment with our professional clinicians is available to assess your child’s overall development. This appointment will provide you with information on your child’s development across domain areas (communication, motor skills, social, and problem-solving skills) and recommendations for the next steps.
We provide assessments for Autism Diagnosis for children ages 12 months - 5 years and 11 months of age. Our assessment service answers the question “does my child have autism”?
Our assessments are designed to meet the BC funding eligibility criteria and help you access funding for your child’s ongoing services.
Our Approach
At Monarch House, we believe in evidence-based therapy. All service is based on best practices and a family-centred approach; this means you are involved in every decision in your child’s unique service and support plan.
At Monarch House, we improve access to required autism services in BC, coordinate treatment, and focus on results for individuals of all abilities, understanding and responding to their changing needs throughout their lives.
Our Board-Certified Behaviour Analysts®, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and mental health professionals work collaboratively to deliver evidence-based support and services in our centres, your home, or your child's school. We collaborate with each individual and specifically tailor services to their needs.
The earlier the intervention, the better
The earlier your child capitalizes on their brain’s plasticity, the more skills and pathways they develop for building essential skills like communication, social skills, and adaptive behaviours - all crucial for later success.
Studies consistently show that children who receive early intervention have better developmental outcomes, including improved language, social skills, and academic performance. They are also more likely to gain independence and lead fulfilling lives.
Conversely, the longer your child goes without focused support, the more likely they are to experience regression in skills they've already acquired. As a leading early intervention autism service provider, Monarch House BC helps your child maintain and build upon their existing strengths, and it allows the entire family to engage and learn the ideal approaches so your child thrives as they mature.
For more details, download our Parent Handbook.
The Importance of Early Diagnosis*
The research shows that the earlier your child starts receiving services, the better their outcomes will be. Every day matters. We understand the urgency and are committed to making your experience as simple and quick as possible. Our expert intake team will help you navigate available funding sources and understand which of our following services would work best for your family:
Behaviour Therapy
These are the various types of therapy that focus on changing behaviours. For autistic children, it's a common and practical approach to address specific challenges they may face, such as:
- Communication difficulties: Helping children learn to communicate effectively, whether through speech, sign language, or alternative communication systems.
- Social skills: Teaching children how to interact with others, understand social cues, and build friendships.
- Repetitive behaviors: Managing repetitive behaviors like rocking, flapping, or stimming in a way that's less disruptive and more adaptive.
- Self-care skills: Helping children develop daily living skills like eating, dressing, and using the bathroom independently.
Speech Therapy
The role of the Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) is to enable individuals to communicate to the best of their ability, thereby enhancing their social relationships and maximizing their quality of life.
The SLP will have expertise in several key areas including Expressive Language, Receptive Language, Assistive and Augmentative Communication, Social Pragmatics, Neuro-Motor Development, Articulation and Fluency. The SLP examines the client’s individual skills and development, and the environment in which those skills are being used.
Occupational Therapy
The role of the Occupational Therapist is to enable individuals to participate, to their fullest level, in activities that occupy their daily lives. This generally encompasses six key areas: Sensory Integration, Fine and Gross motor skills, self-care skills, Occupational/Vocational/Educational activities, Social/Emotional Wellness, and Play/Leisure Skills.
The Occupational Therapist looks at the client’s skills and development and the environment in which those skills are being used. Motor skills are acts that lead to complex body movements. Gross motor movements include actions such as crawling, sitting, and jumping and involve larger muscles and body parts. Fine motor skills involve smaller muscles (e.g., hands) and are important in dressing, eating, writing, etc.
Social Skills, Life skills, and Motor Skills Groups
Group programs are designed to normalize children’s experience by being around peers with similar developmental skills. A group format also allows children to practice interaction and learning skills in a natural environment amongst their peers.
Book an appointment
The most effective way to get started with Monarch House is to book an appointment. We will answer your questions in terms of treatment, funding, and how to navigate the various programs available.
Every inquiry is completely confidential.
Not sure where to start?
Reach out to us directly info@monarchhouse.ca
