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Autistic kids and Ontario schools

Autistic kids and Ontario schools

Old Jan 23rd 2012, 9:20 pm
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Default Re: Autistic kids and Ontario schools

I dont have any real experience of a personal nature but my neighbour has a very disabled daughter she cannot speak and has bouts of furious screaming and rage she is ten she goes to our local primary school and is in the class with the rest of the kids, they recieve no respite help at all unless they pay for it and with an evening costing 100 dollars plus they rarely go out, there seems to be a huge lack of care and respite unless you can pay for these things yourselves, my older kids also tell me they have mentally disabled kids at their high school and they come into class along with everyone else it seems to be the norm here that everyone goes to the same school without any particular specialised help, i live in new brunswick but my neighbour did tell me that when they lived in alberta there was more help available but they had to move back this way to be closer to elderly parents.
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Old Jan 23rd 2012, 10:06 pm
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Default Re: Autistic kids and Ontario schools

No experience of autism or Ontario schools, but my youngest has ADHD (Diagnosed once we were over here), she is very high functioning though and it is more characterized by lack of concentration and some over impulsiveness (she will run up and hug complete strangers)

She is in a mainstream class and her teachers work with her - she uses an exercise ball instead of a chair (instead of getting up an running around she can satisfy her need to move my wiggling on the ball) and we have been working on relaxation therapy and meditation along with diaphragmatic breathing (her teacher reminds her to "tummy breath")... and regular massage sessions have worked wonders too
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Old Jan 24th 2012, 3:07 pm
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Default Re: Autistic kids and Ontario schools

Finally discovered the correct term to what I was looking for - Special education contained class. For special needs children who find mainstream too difficult an environment. Not every school in Ontario has this facility but children will be transported to their nearest one. Now to find out where the best ones are. Ideas anyone?
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Old Jan 24th 2012, 5:35 pm
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Default Re: Autistic kids and Ontario schools

Originally Posted by Tony-the-Tigger
Finally discovered the correct term to what I was looking for - Special education contained class. For special needs children who find mainstream too difficult an environment. Not every school in Ontario has this facility but children will be transported to their nearest one. Now to find out where the best ones are. Ideas anyone?
Hi We are in London, Ontario so I think too way out for you. However Medway High School have, according to my son, a special education unit. Check out their website, might give you an idea on what exactly is on offer, it says they have 20 students with dedicated 2 teachers, PE teachers, music teacher and 4 education assistants and they follow the Community Living Programme. Students are involved in the life of the school (assemblies, football games etc), focus on life and work skills both in school and in the community. Worth giving them a ring and see if they know of other schools offering the same.
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Old Jan 24th 2012, 8:29 pm
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Default Re: Autistic kids and Ontario schools

Thanks gillyd65.

We actually like London. Spent some time down there in the past. Work opportunities are going to keep me around Toronto though. I will check out that school anyway. Like you said, they will probably know the system.

Tony.
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Old Jan 24th 2012, 8:57 pm
  #21  
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Default Re: Autistic kids and Ontario schools

These links might help you - Toronto School Board Special Education Needs.

http://www.tdsb.on.ca/_site/ViewItem...9&pageid=20406

http://www.tdsb.on.ca/wwwdocuments/p...Jan%202011.pdf Contacts

http://www.tdsb.on.ca/wwwdocuments/p...Ed_Dec2011.pdf Parent Guide

http://www.tdsb.on.ca/wwwdocuments/p...Autism2011.pdf Schools with Autism Programs

http://www.tdsb.on.ca/_site/ViewItem...9&pageid=20145 List of all special education provision


Last edited by Siouxie; Jan 24th 2012 at 8:59 pm.
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Old Jan 24th 2012, 10:49 pm
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Default Re: Autistic kids and Ontario schools

Originally Posted by Tony-the-Tigger
Finally discovered the correct term to what I was looking for - Special education contained class. For special needs children who find mainstream too difficult an environment. Not every school in Ontario has this facility but children will be transported to their nearest one. Now to find out where the best ones are. Ideas anyone?
I needed to check with the OH before I replied to this. The (public, i.e. elementary/middle) school she teaches in is going to host a self contained special ed. class starting in September. It's a very good school and she tells me the investment / facilities will be as good as it gets.

Please feel free to PM me for details. Oh, I can say it's in York Region, which you could have guessed from my location info.
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Old Jan 25th 2012, 3:52 am
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Default Re: Autistic kids and Ontario schools

This is quite alot of work to get through, but here is a link to special education in Ontario:

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/parents/speced.html
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Old Feb 6th 2012, 10:23 am
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Default Re: Autistic kids and Ontario schools

Just returned from a week long trip to Toronto and thought I would update this thread with a relevant piece of info. Unbelievably, the public and separate school boards in Ontario generally, have different methods for the schooling of kids with special needs. The separate board (Catholic) try to integrate as much as possible "inclusion not occlusion" is their motto. All the separate schools I visited had a special needs classroom that was only used for exceptional circumstances eg. where a child was unable to cope with a lesson or was disrupting class through behaviour. The public board however, is less integrated and more education is done away from mainstream classes i.e. they have special education contained classes.
Opinions on these methods will differ of course. From my own experience I can see how parents of children with potential or "high functioning Autism - Asbergers" would want their kids integrated as much as possible. There is evidence that they learn more, with a bit of extra assistance, in that environment. However, I have major doubts about other children who have more severe learning difficulties. I don't understand and wasn't really given a proper explanation of how a kid, like my own, who doesn't really know where he/she is and why they are there, can benefit from attending mainstream. You also have to consider the right of mainstream children not being repeatedly distracted by a child who has behavioural issues. I have to say though that none of the teachers form the seperate board who met my son seemed to be phased by him.

Maybe I'm putting too much thought into this!
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Old Feb 6th 2012, 11:14 am
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Default Re: Autistic kids and Ontario schools

Originally Posted by Tony-the-Tigger
The separate board (Catholic) try to integrate as much as possible "inclusion not occlusion" is their motto.
Beware the snaggle toothed Papists, I say.
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Old Mar 13th 2012, 4:35 pm
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Default Re: Autistic kids and Ontario schools

I am feeling slightly depressed after reading the above posts. I have a 5 year old boy with high functiong autism and 6 year old suspected as having Aspergers. I have spent over two years fighting to get help in the UK and starting all over again in Canada terrifies me. However, husband who is canadian, has been made redundant twice and out of work in UK for two years now and wants to go home and start again.

Aaaarrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggh. What to do???
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Old Mar 13th 2012, 6:25 pm
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Default Re: Autistic kids and Ontario schools

I think you have every right to be concerned. Relocating young children is hard enough never mind when they have a condition. You will know better than most that when a child is "high functioning", it can be very difficult to get them the resources they need to flourish.
Where does your husband want to return to? Schooling varies from board to board and from province.

Don't let all the moaning put you off yet. The special ed system is very similar to the UK and should be familiar to someone like yourself who has made their way (battled) through it.
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Old Mar 13th 2012, 8:14 pm
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Default Re: Autistic kids and Ontario schools

I've become an infrequent visitor to these forums but thought that I would add a comment to this subject.

We have a seven year old son who is quite severely autistic. He has no speech and is unable to use the toilet. He goes to a regular school and has an educational assistant with him at all times. His day is based on what they call home base and depending on how his day is going he will spend some time with the regular class but only for short periods.

I share the concern that has been voiced in this thread so far as to the difficulty in bringing up a child such as our son here in Canada. Unfortunately I have nothing to compare it with back in the UK as he wasn't diagnosed until a couple of years after arriving here.

As an example we have no real support during the school holidays. The summer break is painfully long and we manage as best we can without support. At the moment our little boy has taken to emptying his bowels and before we can catch him he will have left the contents where ever he chooses including his mouth. We've dealt with this by buying special clothing that stops him from accessing his diaper but who do we turn to for help with this. Resources are very poor.

Despair at the situation saps my strength from writing more but we do contemplate moving back to England in the hope of better support. I just don't have the confidence that it is there.
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Old Mar 13th 2012, 8:35 pm
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Default Re: Autistic kids and Ontario schools

Husband looking at Vankleek Hill Eastern Ontario/Quebec border. He has family in the area and seems ideally placed for commute to either Montreal or Ottawa.

Very rural and very french. Cafe au lait will only get me so far!

I imagine Canada very similar to UK in it depends which local authority you live in. I live in Oxfordshire which is rubbish but boys just started school in Northamptonshire and their autism intervention team is fab.

Also my local children's centre runs a three day per week school holiday club for children with special needs - higher child to adult ratio/smaller groups - he falls apart in large settings.

Although social settings can be a nightmare, my three children are like puppies and like to be exercised every day! I worry we are going to end up back of beyond with only the odd moose to talk to and no access to services.
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Old Mar 13th 2012, 9:03 pm
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Default Re: Autistic kids and Ontario schools

Originally Posted by banesberie
Husband looking at Vankleek Hill Eastern Ontario/Quebec border. He has family in the area and seems ideally placed for commute to either Montreal or Ottawa.

Very rural and very french. Cafe au lait will only get me so far!
A bit off topic but I had to look up Vankleek Hill. It appears to be a tiny hamlet about 100 km from both Ottawa and Montreal. Hardly ideally placed for a commute to either IMHO. Why not choose Ottawa, I mean an occasional 100 km jaunt to visit his family is on, but 200 Km roundtrip every day to work?

Has he heard of winter?

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