Five Counties Children’s Centre

What Five Counties Children’s Centre does

Five Counties Children's Centre is a registered Canadian charity and children's treatment centre serving children and youth from birth to age 19 (or 21 if still in school) with physical, developmental and communication needs across Peterborough, Northumberland County, City of Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton County, Ontario. Incorporated in 1972 and opened in 1975, it was established through a coalition of nine Rotary Clubs and became Ontario's first CARF-accredited children's treatment centre in 1985. The organization operates five owned or leased service sites (Peterborough, Lindsay, Cobourg, Campbellford, Minden), delivers in-school rehabilitation under contract with local school boards, and runs the SmartStart Hub as a centralized intake coordinating with nine or more regional community agencies.

The Centre's core clinical stack is delivered by licensed multidisciplinary staff (occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech-language pathologists, social workers, and clinical specialists) and comprises three foundational services — Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Speech Language Therapy — supplemented by a portfolio of specialized clinics: ASD Diagnostic Clinic, Augmentative Communication, Blind Low Vision Program, Infant Hearing Program, Neonatal Follow-Up Clinic, Orthopaedic Clinic, Seating and Mobility Clinic, Tone Clinic, Coordinated Services Planning, and Urgent Response Services. There is no proprietary software platform; the technology layer is human clinical practice, evidence-based interventions, and assistive-communication hardware/software integration (LAMP Words for Life, Grid 3, TouchChat, Accent, NuVoice).

The business model is a hybrid of public funding and diversified private/donation revenue. The majority of services are publicly funded by the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (and City of Peterborough) and provided at no cost to families. School Health Support Services are billed under contract with local Access Centres (school boards). A second, client-funded revenue stream — Abilities in Action — offers privately purchased therapy packages funded through out-of-pocket payment, the Ontario Autism Program, Jordan's Principle or workplace benefits. A third stream — donations, events and corporate partnerships — supports capital projects (e.g., the Building Abilities for Life Campaign) and wait-list reduction. Pricing for purchased services is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.

Name

Five Counties Children’s Centre

Legal name

Five Counties Children's Centre

Website

https://fivecounties.on.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Five Counties Children's Centre is a registered Canadian charity providing pediatric occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech-language therapy, plus specialized clinics, to children and youth with physical, developmental and communication needs across Peterborough, Northumberland, Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton, funded primarily by the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (621340)

SIC

Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

Pediatric Rehabilitation & Developmental Therapy Centers (PT/OT/SLP) (HLAFAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pediatric/School-Based Occupational Therapy (OT) (EDAKAFAA), Speech & Language Therapy (Early Intervention) (EDACAFAB)

Keywords

• Pediatric therapy services
• Children's treatment centre
• Rehabilitation services
• Occupational therapy
• Speech language pathology

Headquarters

HQ city

Peterborough

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Provincial Government Funding: Core services are funded by the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services and the City of Peterborough. These publicly funded services are provided at no cost to families.
2. School Board Contracts: Five Counties provides School Health Support Services (therapy at school) under contract with local Access Centres (school boards), enabling students to receive rehabilitation services in educational settings.
3. Client-Funded / Purchased Services (Abilities in Action): The Abilities in Action Program offers privately purchased therapy services (occupational therapy, speech-language therapy) to families who pay out-of-pocket, access government funding (Ontario Autism Program, Jordan's Principle), or use workplace benefits. Families can also purchase individual service packages.
4. Donations and Fundraising: The organization operates active fundraising through events (Backyard Summer Social, Winterfest, Next Gen Game with Peterborough Petes, Smile Cookie Campaign, Couture for Kids, Little Lakers Night, etc.), corporate partnerships, monthly giving, legacy/endowment gifts, and grants. Donations support reducing wait times and enhancing treatment services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Five Counties Children's Centre provides publicly funded pediatric therapy and treatment services — Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, and Speech-Language Pathology — to children and youth from birth to age 19 (or 21 if still in school) with physical, developmental, and communication needs across Peterborough, Northumberland, City of Kawartha Lakes, and Haliburton County. Services are delivered at five Centre sites, in schools, and in the community, with specialty clinics for ASD diagnostics, augmentative communication, blind-low vision, infant hearing, neonatal follow-up, orthopaedics, seating and mobility, and tone management. The organization also operates the SmartStart Hub as a central intake and an Abilities in Action program for client-funded purchased services.

Product overview

Five Counties Children's Centre provides a comprehensive suite of pediatric therapy and treatment services for children and youth (birth to age 19, or 21 if in school) with physical, developmental, and communication needs. The organization operates a multi-site service model across Peterborough, Lindsay, Cobourg, Campbellford, and Minden/Haliburton. Core clinical services include Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, and Speech Language Therapy, which form the foundation of treatment delivery. Specialized clinics expand this foundation to include ASD Diagnostic Clinic, Augmentative Communication, Blind Low Vision Program, Infant Hearing Program, Neonatal Follow-Up Clinic, Orthopaedic Clinic, Seating and Mobility Clinic, and Tone Clinic. The SmartStart Hub serves as a centralized intake and coordination point for all services, while Coordinated Services Planning provides care coordination for complex cases. The Abilities in Action purchased services program offers privately-funded therapy options. Support services include Equipment Loans, Social Work, Therapeutic Recreation, Resource Consultation, and School-Based Rehabilitation Services. The organization is CARF-accredited and partnerships with entities like Dr. Chris Montgomery's pediatric practice and Oak Valley Health extend specialized medical services. All publicly-funded services are provided at no cost to families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Abilities in Action: A client-funded program offering individualized therapy services including occupational therapy and speech-language therapy for children birth to age 19.
• SmartStart Hub

Products and services

• Occupational Therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Speech Language Therapy
• ASD Diagnostic Clinic
• Augmentative Communication
• Blind Low Vision Program
• Infant Hearing Program
• Neonatal Follow-Up Clinic
• Coordinated Services Planning
• Equipment Loans
• Orthopaedic Clinic
• Seating and Mobility Clinic
• Social Work
• Therapeutic Recreation
• School-Based Rehabilitation Services
• SmartStart Hub
• Abilities in Action Purchased Services
• Resource Consultation
• Tone Clinic
• Urgent Response Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Just over 86% of families surveyed would recommend Five Counties to a friend or colleague (2024 Client and Family Experience Survey)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lakelands Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners on the SmartStart Hub, providing pregnancy and parenting supports, dental health information, and Building Resilience with Your Child resources to families in the region.
• Point in Time Centre for Children, Youth and ParentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmartStart Hub partner providing services to children, youth and families in the community.
• BGC KawarthascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmartStart Hub partner supporting children and youth in the Kawarthas region through community programming.
• CHIMO Youth and Family ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmartStart Hub partner providing youth and family services in the region.
• Kinark Child and Family ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmartStart Hub partner providing child and family services across eastern Ontario.
• Dnaagdawenmag Binnoojiiyag Child and Family ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmartStart Hub partner providing Indigenous child and family services in the region.
• Oak Valley HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners on the Tri-Regional Blind-Low Vision Early Intervention Program and Infant Hearing Program, serving York, Durham, Peterborough, Northumberland, Haliburton and Kawartha Lakes regions.
• Northumberland Child Development CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmartStart Hub partner providing child development services in Northumberland County.
• Peterborough Regional Health CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in the Neonatal Follow-Up Clinic. Five Counties team members (nurse, SLP, OT, PT) provide developmental assessments at Five Counties' Peterborough location for babies who spent time in the NICU after birth.
• Hospital for Sick ChildrenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrthopaedic Surgeon from the Hospital for Sick Children partners with Five Counties to provide assessment and management of children's orthopedic needs through the Orthopaedic Clinic.
• Grandview KidsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with Five Counties on the Orthopaedic Clinic, providing an Orthopaedic Surgeon to assess and manage children's orthopedic needs.
• Markham Stouffville HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTri-Regional Blind-Low Vision Early Intervention Program is a partnership between Five Counties, Markham Stouffville Hospital, and Grandview Kids, serving children from birth to school entry who are blind or have vision loss in York, Durham, Peterborough, Northumberland, Haliburton Counties and City of Kawartha Lakes.
• Point-In-Time (Haliburton County)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts the Resource Consultant program for Haliburton County, providing support to children aged 0-12 with developmental delays enrolled in licensed childcare programs.
• Community Living Trent HighlandsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts the Resource Consultant program for the City of Kawartha Lakes, supporting children aged 0-12 with confirmed or possible developmental delays in licensed childcare settings.
• Rotary Clubs of Peterborough, Lindsay, Minden, Haliburton, Havelock, Cobourg, Port Hope, Campbellford, and Fenelon FallscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn the early 1970s, Rotary Clubs across the region came together to establish Five Counties Children's Centre, providing advocacy, leadership, and support that led to provincial funding for construction of the Centre on Dutton Road in Peterborough (opened 1975). Rotary's founding role was essential to the organization's creation.
• Quinte Children's Treatment CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamilies in Northumberland County access Coordinated Services Planning through the Quinte Children's Treatment Centre rather than Five Counties, per the Coordinated Services Planning program page.
• Empowered Kids OntariominorOthersFive Counties is a proud member of Empowered Kids Ontario, a network representing children's treatment centres and developmental services across Ontario. The organization operates within the broader Ontario children's treatment sector.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Surrey Place: Toronto-based developmental services organization providing clinical services for children and adults with developmental disabilities, autism, and visual impairment. Direct peer in service categories like Blind-Low Vision and ASD diagnostics.
• ErinoakKids Centre for Treatment and Development: One of Ontario's largest children's treatment centres serving Halton, Peel, and Dufferin with OT, PT, SLP, and autism services. Direct peer in the publicly funded CTC model with multi-site delivery.
• Grandview Kids: Ontario children's treatment centre in Durham Region offering OT, PT, SLP, and specialty clinics. Directly comparable as a publicly funded CTC serving a similar population, and an active partner with Five Counties on the Orthopaedic Clinic and Tri-Regional Blind-Low Vision Program.
• Lansdowne Children's Centre: Brant-area children's treatment centre providing OT, PT, SLP, and early intervention services. Direct peer in the Ontario CTC network with similar funding model and target population.
• Children's Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent: Southwestern Ontario children's treatment centre delivering OT, PT, SLP, and developmental services. Direct peer operating under the same Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services framework at a similar regional scale.
• Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital: Toronto-based children's rehabilitation hospital providing outpatient and inpatient OT, PT, SLP, and developmental services. Directly comparable service mix and target population, operating at greater scale and urban density.
• KidsAbility: Ontario children's treatment centre serving Waterloo Region, Guelph-Wellington, and surrounding areas with OT, PT, SLP, and augmentative communication services. Direct peer offering a comparable multi-site, publicly funded service portfolio.
• Quinte Children's Treatment Centre: Ontario children's treatment centre serving Hastings and Prince Edward counties. Direct peer operating in the same publicly funded CTC framework; Five Counties explicitly refers Northumberland County families to this Centre for Coordinated Services Planning.

Broad incumbents

• Kerry's Place Autism Services: Ontario-wide autism services provider offering residential, day, and clinical supports. Adjacent peer in the broader developmental services ecosystem funded by the same provincial ministries, but with a primarily residential/community-services focus rather than centre-based therapy.

Others

• Empowered Kids Ontario: Provincial association representing Ontario's children's treatment centres (Five Counties is a member). Not a competitor; rather, an enabling industry body that advocates for the CTC sector and influences provincial funding policy relevant to Five Counties' revenue model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FiveCountiesChildrensCentre
• Xx.com/5CountiesKids
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/five-counties-children-s-centre

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles27 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Five Counties Children’s Centre