Municipal councillors in Richmond County say they are concerned with the number of children
Richmond Municipal Building in Arichat
requiring early intervention services in the municipality.
During last night’s regular monthly meeting in Arichat, Olivia Melnick, with Early Childhood Development Intervention Services, told Richmond Municipal Council that the county has one of the highest rates in the region of children ages 5 and 6 entering Primary who use the specialized services they offer for families of kids with developmental delays, those on the autism spectrum, or have cerebral palsy.
Melnick said their services include speech, language, and cognitive development, noting they are often referred by family, pediatricians, daycare providers, and teachers.
In 2013, 2018, and 2020, Melnick said the highest rates of children in early intervention under the Strait Regional School Board were from Richmond County.
Warden Amanda Mombourquette said “Richmond County is coming up on top of a pile that we don’t want to be on top of consistently.”
District 3 Councillor Melanie Sampson called the numbers “very concerning,” and like the warden, asked if they can share the information on the municipal website.