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First Steps Program


September: First Steps Program

In September, Beckett started a program called First Steps through the Step by Step Intervention Society. It offers music therapy, speech-language pathology, and physiotherapy… but perhaps what excites me most is that it gives Beckett regular time to be with other kids his age. Right now he goes three mornings a week—Monday, Wednesday, Friday—from 8:30-10:30.

Yes, it’s a bit inconvenient for Keith and me. Full-time work schedules + morning drop-offs can be messy. But every time I see what Beckett gets out of it, I know it’s more than worth it.

What about PUF funding?

Alberta’s Program Unit Funding (PUF) doesn’t apply to Beckett yet—he was under 2 years 8 months in September, so we don’t qualify. I’d assumed we’d have to wait a whole year before he could attend a program with peer-interaction. Which is why I’m so grateful for First Steps: it’s one of the few (maybe the only?) places that provides specialized care for little ones who don’t yet meet the age or criteria for PUF but still need those early supports.

When we toured Step by Step, I was struck by how thoughtful and welcoming everything felt. The space is clearly designed with all abilities in mind—calming colours, accessible setup, kind faces—everything to help kids feel safe, seen, and respected.

(By the way, if you’re wondering, “What is PUF?”—you are not alone. I find myself googling things like this often! It’s basically government funding for children with special needs, but there are a lot of “ifs” and “buts” about when, how, and to whom. If helpful, I’ll pull together a blog post sometime that lays out what resources are actually out there—what we found, what we didn’t, and what we wished we’d known.)

Making connections

One of my favourite things: after each class, we get photos or updates, and Beckett seems to be making friends. Seeing him with peers in a place that meets him where he’s at feels like magic. More than therapy or intervention—it’s belonging. 

Thanks for reading along. I’ll keep sharing what we learn— maybe our journey will help someone else feel a little less alone or more informed.

 

Comments

  1. GrammyOctober 1, 2025 at 6:49 PM

    Thank you Chantale for this lovely update - I have personally seen some wonderful positive changes in Beckett since he has started this program and I am so very happy that he is making friends, having fun and being a little more independent.

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