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Richmond Paediatric Team

The Richmond Paediatric Team helps children and youth with special needs to participate in active, healthy lives in their schools, homes and community of Richmond by providing consultative services in nursing, occupational therapy and physical therapy.

How to access

  • Check eligibility

    See below for more details on the services we provide.

    The Richmond Paediatric Team provides the following services:

    Nursing Support Services
    Provides services for children aged 0 to 19 years.

    Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy services
    Provides services for school-aged children aged 5 to 19 years.

    The team does not provide direct ongoing services or outpatient therapies.

    If the information you are looking for cannot be found on this page, please get in touch with the Richmond Paediatric Team about these services directly at (604) 233-3150 or email rhspeds@vch.ca. A health-care professional will discuss the child's needs, eligibility and the referral process.

  • Get a referral

    Referrals are screened and prioritized.  To make a referral, fax or email the referral to (604) 233-3198 or rhspeds@vch.ca.

    For Nursing Support Services, a referral from a physician or nurse practitioner is required. 

    To make a referral, email/fax the NSS referral form to the contact information listed on the form

    For physical therapy and occupational therapy, referrals are accepted from health-care providers, families and schools. Occupational therapy referrals pertaining primarily to sensory processing concerns require a referral directly from the school district.

    Physiotherapy referral form

    Occupational therapy referral form

Hours of operation

Services are provided on weekdays, with variable hours. Closed on weekends and statutory holidays.

How to get here

Richmond Paediatric Team members primarily see clients in their homes, schools and communities. Occasionally clients may come to our offices at Richmond Place for services.

 Parking & Transportation

Parking Access to the parkade driveway is only available when driving East on Granville Avenue.

Limited paid parking is available onsite, on the first two levels of the parkade – Pay machine is on the first level.

Free street parking is also available close to the building on Bennett Street. 

The office is accessible by transit on the #404 bus, and various bus lines arrive nearby. The office is close to the Richmond-Brighouse stop on the Canada Line.

Available services in Richmond

The Richmond Paediatric Team provides the following services :

Nursing Support Services (NSS) assists parents and caregivers of children and youth (0-19) with medical complexities to lead active, healthy lives in their communities.

Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy services for school-aged children (aged 5 to 19 years) with medical complexities to access their home, school and community.

The team provides consultation services for children with complex medical needs, including those who require palliative care. The teams also provide education and training for school staff and collaborate with other community partners to facilitate continuity of care.

Our focus is to support children’s participation, inclusion and access to learning opportunities with the goal of achieving the student’s highest level of independent functioning in their schools, homes and communities.

The team does not provide direct ongoing services or out-patient therapies.

There is no charge for the Richmond Paediatric Team services. There may be costs for medical supplies and equipment if a family is not covered by the BC Medical Plan or other government programs.

Nursing Support Services 

Our services:

Nursing Support Services provides care for children and youth whose care needs require the scope of practice of a registered nurse for some aspects of their care due to the child/youth's medically complex and fragile health needs.

We provide in-home respite care for children who may:

  • have a tracheostomy,
  • require supported ventilation (ventilator, BiPAP, CPAP),
  • have a life-limiting/palliative diagnosis,
  • require peritoneal dialysis or
  • have other conditions that require the support of a registered nurse.

We provide delegated care in the school setting through teaching and supervising school staff to care for children with:

  • diabetes,
  • tube feeds,
  • oral suctioning needs or
  • catheterization needs

Facilitation of the At Home Program

  • Complete eligibility assessments for the At Home Program supported through the Ministry of Children & Family Development (MCFD).

For more information about Nursing Support Services please visit bcchildrens.ca

Physical Therapy

Physical Therapy services provides assessment of and/or consultation for:

  • Acquiring equipment to support positioning and mobility needs e.g. wheelchairs, walkers, standing frames, lifts and slings, orthoses etc.
  • Assistance or support with walking/mobility and falls prevention (transferring, stairs, use of gait aids).
  • Specific musculoskeletal needs and associated equipment to support postural alignment, joint protection, and mobility (AFOs, TLSOs, Benik vests etc.).
  • Safe and accessible environment at home and school.
  • Support with fatigue, energy conservation and/or pain management.
  • Modifications to the standard physical education program and specialized support for recreation/leisure activities.
  • Short-term support after discharge from hospital.
  • Cardiorespiratory support (energy conservation, secretion clearance, and assisted cough).

Occupational Therapy

Occupational Therapy services provides assessment of and/or consultation for:

  • Oral motor skills and safe feeding procedures.
  • Acquiring equipment to support positioning and mobility needs e.g. wheelchairs, bath seats, commodes, specialized beds and mattresses, etc.
  • Self care skills eg. toileting, dressing.
  • Specific musculoskeletal needs and associated equipment to support postural alignment and joint protection (including implementation of hand, wrist or elbow splints).
  • Fine motor skill development eg. printing and cutting.
  • Participation in learning activities through the use of assistive technology (eg. specialized computers/communication devices) and environmental controls. 
  • Home and school accessibility.
  • Sensory processing eg. significant challenges with sensory regulation impacting participation in school. 
  • Short term support after discharge from hospital.

Resources

Richmond Place – 8100 Granville Avenue

VCH Public Health works to improve the health and well-being of residents by preventing disease, promoting health, and prolonging life among the population as a whole.

Paediatric Teams

Our community-based paediatric teams help infants, children and youth participate in active, healthy lives in their homes, schools, and communities by providing services in Nursing, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy. Populations served, and services available vary by location.