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Trauma-informed System of Care
On May 29, 2012, a Symposium was held at kidsLINK on Trauma-informed Systems of Care. The Key-note Speaker was Dr. Ann Jennings. Participants from various government and social service agencies were in attendance, as well as others in the community interested in the topic. To find out more about the symposium and to view our extensive Trauma-informed resources, please click on the infographic.
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Navigating The School System
| There are a number of different resources you should be aware of that can help you successfully advocate for your child’s special needs. Keep advocating until you are satisfied that your child is receiving the help that he or she needs. |
Even though you may have an IPRC and an IEP for your child, every school year can be like beginning all over again. This is also true if the school principal changes. You are faced with coaching the new staff involved with your child with all the nuances and quirks that are unique to them. Kids tend to change over time, so that is why it’s helpful to begin the year with an updated profile of your child (See Creating Your Child’s Profile). Be sure to include as many of your child’s strengths as possible to help school staff build on them.
Often, the best way for you and your school to understand the nature of the difficulties for yourchild is to perform a psychological assessment or psycho-educational assessment (see “Psychological Assessments”, in the Getting Started section). This should be performed ideally every four years while in elementary school. This assessment will help advise the development of the IEP and help you learn more effective ways of dealing with your child’s difficulties. Schools have a limited budget to contract this service for pupils. If you cannot get one provided through the school, you could check with your employer’s benefit package to see if this can be covered by insurance.
Occupational Therapy can be accessed in school. For example, if your child has great difficulty with tasks associated with writing, the therapist can advise the school about strategies that will work with your child in the school and can also be the direct link you need to access technological accommodations, like word prediction software, or voice recognition software to assist with this task. Other areas they can help with are: teaching strategies, sensory recommendations, other assistive technology, etc. Likewise, Speech and Language Pathology can be co-ordinated through the school and services can be provided during the school day. There is often a wait list for these services.
To access assistive technologies or devices that your child requires to learn, you should be aware of SEA (Special Equipment Amount) and what equipment is covered under this funding. For more information visit the Ontario Ministry of Education website: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/funding/1011/2010-11_SEA_Guidelines.pdf
You should also know of the SIP (Special Incidence Portion) funding for high needs. School boards may apply for Special Incidence Portion (SIP) funding for additional staff support. This is to ensure the health and safety both of other people in the school and the student who has extraordinarily high needs related to their disabilities and/or exceptionalities.
Conflicts sometimes arise while dealing with your school. The Ontario Ministry of Education has documents to help you work within their framework and problem-solve. Parents, schools and school board administrations do not always interpret the directives in the same way. It helps to know what you are advocating for when you engage in problem-solving with your school. It also bears mentioning that you need to be realistic and focus on one need at a time, rather than multiple requests or demands.
A “Special Education Tip Sheet” is provided from People For Education in this section. Another tip sheet prepared by the Waterloo Region District School Board entitled “Communicating With Your School” is also provided in this section. Last, but not least, the Ministry’s document entitled “Shared Solutions – A Guide to Preventing and Resolving Conflicts Regarding Programs & Services for Students with Special Education Needs” is also a great tool.
There are a number of useful documents that can be of help to support you in your child’s journey through school on the Ministry of Education’s website. (Please see “The Ontario Ministry of Education- Special Education Resources”).
We have provided a chart of related Ontario Ministry of Education resources by the areas of concern you may be experiencing. This is by no means an exhaustive list. The most current source for Ministry of Education information is at http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/teachers/
If you have concerns about:Accommodations / Technology / Assistive Devices• SEA (Special Equipment Amount)
• SIP (Special Incidence Portion) 2010-11Bullying (victim or aggressor)• Bullying: A Guide for Parents of Elementary and Secondary School Students (updated Spring 2011)Conflicts with school or Board• Shared Solutions – A Guide to Preventing and Resolving Conflicts Regarding Programs & Services for Students with Special Education NeedsIdentification, Placement & Review Committee (IPRC)
| If you have concerns about: | Supporting Ontario Ministry of Education Documentation (under Special Education): www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/teachers/ |
| Accommodations/Technology/ Assistive Devices |
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| Bullying (victim or aggressor) |
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| Conflicts with school or Board |
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| Identification, Placement & Review Committee (IPRC)Individual Education Plan (IEP) |
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| IPRC Appeals |
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| Progressive Discipline |
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| Safety |
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| Special Education |
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| Suspensions/voluntary withdrawal from school |
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| Teaching Strategies |
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| Transition Planning (+14 years) |
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If you are still without resolution to your problem after dealing with the administration at your school, you can also try talking to the school superintendent, or directly to the Board office and speak to the Executive Superintendent of Education. (Refer to the “Communicating With Your School”.
It is important to maintain a paper trail while communicating with all levels of the school, Board Office and aothers..
At any time, you may also contact your elected school board trustee. Trustees can provide information and direction to parents, but they cannot act as a representative of the parent. Check your local school board website for a listing of trustees.
Trustees and representatives of many local parent associations meet monthly during the school year at the school board’s Special Education Advisory Committee meetings. (Please refer to “Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC)” . Each Board in Waterloo Region has a listing available on their websites. The Ontario Ministry of Education site also provides a list of advocacy and support associations under the heading “Advice to Parents”.
If you suspect any of the diagnoses as described in the “WHAT IS” section of this guide, your local parent support group may be able to help you. They may have someone in their membership who has had a similar experience. You may also find someone willing to go along with you to a school meeting to help you with advocacy, or to just to provide moral support or take notes. (Please refer to the links at the bottom of each definition in the “WHAT IS” section for specific support group information, or check the “Website Resource Listing” in the RESOURCE section at the end of the guide). Parents for Children’s Mental Health (PCMH) is an umbrella organization that deals with all of the concerns as they are listed in the “WHAT IS” section. If you cannot find a support group related to your child’s specific needs, PCMH may be the best fit for you.
| Links or Useful Resources for NAVIGATING THE SCHOOL SYSTEM: Ontario Ministry of Education: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/teachers/ SEA Funding in the WRDSB: http://www.wrdsb.ca/programs/special-education/special-equipment-amount-qa |
