Move to Canada with child with disabilities? Police transfer from UK?
 

Hi all

Very new, done some digging on the topic of children with disabilities but wondering if there's anything new in the pipeline. Generally how care in Canada compares to that in the UK. I've read some (what I'd describe as) horror stories and some provisions seem horrendous in Canada.

Also wondering if there's advice on joining the Police in Canada (Alberta) from the UK?
This is secondary, as if what I've read so far is still the current then I wouldn't consider the move.

Firstly

Our child would be considered "severe" in layman's terms of autism and disabilities (1st percentile).

We have fought tooth and nail get the provisions he had here in the UK. He has a specialist school for children of similar abilities and is likely to be here until at least 21 (potentially 25). His school is honestly brilliant, they provide for all his needs through sensory activities, swimming, outdoor play and it's all within his school.

There is obviously housing and activities for when they're older in life, many of which we have looked into already. However, although it's a concern when thinking of their future, I'm not losing sleep at the moment and I'm aware of the safety nets the UK has in place.

We also have family in the children's grandparents, uncles and aunties should anything happen to us.

Based on what I've read so far, I'd say the UK is far better in terms of providing for disabled people. I'm wondering is there anyone with recent experience that may contradict or confirm this?

Secondly
I am currently a serving Police officer in the UK. I have 11 years Policing experience (2 years Police community Support Officer, 9 years Police Constable) and currently working on ARV (armed response vehicle). I understand that EPS is now open to international applications and if possible I'd like some more information regarding this.
Would a transfer be possible or would I be starting from scratch?
Would my family be eligible to come with me on one application and would EPS sort this? (I have a wife and 2 young children, 1 of which is autistic and has a learning disability). Any information regarding the process would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

K

Re: Move to Canada with child with disabilities? Police transfer from UK?
 

I can't comment on if health care would be better or worse.

As for joining the Edmonton Police Services they do recruit overseas officers from certain countries the UK being one and on their website they ask you to contact their office in the following link

https://www.joineps.ca/ApplicationPr...pplicants.aspx

I see you found the thread for the EPS in the Working Abroad. I used to be ex Lancashire when I moved here but that was a long time ago. Calgary PS did a recruitment drive some years ago and I did hear a few got jobs but they were not straight up transfer from one force to another. Knowing what I know now and how the job has changed and at that age again personally I would not consider Policing again even though they are paid decently over here compared to the UK. Pay scales below

https://www.joineps.ca/WhyEPS/Salary

Re: Move to Canada with child with disabilities? Police transfer from UK?
 

I expect a search for "autism" will turn up my prior responses to the core question. The short story is that I have an autistic daughter, an adult now, who was born in Canada. She lives in Europe.

IME (of Ontario but likely not very different in Alberta):

- there can be strong provision for autistic people while they are in high school (up to age 21) but it's not easily negotiated. Moving house and haggling with the authorities can be expected.
- there is much less provision after the end of high school. The disabled person is ultimately the responsibily of the family, not of the state, as in Europe.
- this presents a problem I consider insurmountable. One cannot generate enough income during one's working life to support a disabled person for decades after one's death. One must pass responsibility for the disabled person to any siblings the person may have. That's not something everyone is prepared to do and, in any case, there may not be any siblings with good jobs who are willing and able to provide care.

I would not suggest that anyone move an autistic person to Canada.

Re: Move to Canada with child with disabilities? Police transfer from UK?
 

I agree with dbd that you have much better care for autistic children in the UK, and perhaps for other disabilities as well.

I have a family member with a 14 year old boy on the spectrum. He attends regular school and has had help since he entered kindergarten but only because his mother took action. Another family member is a speech therapist and was asked what she thought of the boy at the age of 4, gave a very detailed report which was then shown to a doctor in another province. There was no questioning, the report was accepted, and the boy was referred to specialists. He has been receiving help ever since, although it has got less and less over the years, partly because his parents are spending much money on out-of-school help in reading, maths, etc, but also because there are more and more disabled children in the school system who need more help. Which means he doesn't get the help with reading, math, etc, which means ..........

In any case, all the help will end at 18, and everything will be on his parents.

BUT most kiddies whether in BC, the Yukon and NS that I know of are not diagnosed until years after they have started school, and so are not receiving help.

Any help basically ends at 18

I really would advise you to stay in the UK.

Re: Move to Canada with child with disabilities? Police transfer from UK?
 

Support for children with disabilities in Canada is poor at best, worse now than 30 years ago. Once they age out, 18 or 19 some provinces, there is little to no support. In BC there is community living for some help and Persons with Disability payments (PWD), if they can get on it. It is below poverty level income. For those with a disability, the future in Canada is not rosy unless they have a supportive and wealthy family.
If you have supports in place in the UK, I would seriously consider staying. Or at the least, spend several weeks in Canada investigating if supports meet their needs and how much of a fight you will have to access those supports.

Re: Move to Canada with child with disabilities? Police transfer from UK?
 

Hi Kam

I'm from the UK and moved to BC in July of last year, supposed to be on a 3 year work visa but have now got married to a Canadian so highly unlikely to return to the UK.

I did 13 years service in the job in the UK , 9 years with the police in South Wales and my last 3.5 years as an AFO with the MDP.

I saw the EPS advert some months ago, and contacted them and luckily because I resigned from the police less than 1 year ago they have accepted my position as an experienced officer on the international recruitment process.

For your information I live in Canada and the process is difficult, they have swapped some of the recruitment process around so I had the final interview first which I passed with high marks, and I've come to Edmonton for the week of testing.

Unfortunately I was 4 marks off a pass on the written test this morning, so I have to try it again in 4 weeks time. That being said I'm still in the process.

My advice to you is to think if it works financially, i have paid out nearly 1200 dollars so far with accommodation, travel, eye exams etc and I've failed the exam by 4 marks, if I don't succeed next time it's not financially feasible to continue. If i were to travel from the UK and fail any part of the process it would be even more upsetting.

That's being said the recruitment is like the UK here currently they need police and are extremely short.

Happy to give any advice on the recruitment process so far

Jay

Re: Move to Canada with child with disabilities? Police transfer from UK?
 

We moved here in 2004 with our 6 month old son with no idea that he was autistic. He was diagnosed at age 3 and at age 20 is non-verbal with significant challenges. I won't detail the last 20 years but our experience of getting the required support and care has not been a good one. Obviously I cannot compare it to if we had stayed in the UK. We have trepidation regarding his future as he comes to the end of his schooling. He attends a great school in Ottawa that we were lucky to get him into and he lives in residential care 100kms away from us. We get him home every weekend and he is doing okay. Am I confident about the future care for him? Absolutely not. I'd prefer to be back in the UK for that reason but I can't say whether I am correct in thinking that.

Re: Move to Canada with child with disabilities? Police transfer from UK?
 

Twin disabled children here, currently in the UK after having lived in calgary and red deer for 5 years, my two are low functioning autistic and possibly spina bifida in one. Both 4 now mentally probably closer to 18 months or 2 years.
wife canadian so is eldest daughter, we miss it dearly but will not be going back without a huge windfall.
Calgary Autism do a presentation online tickets are free through eventbrite, they spent the entire time talking us out of going there.
the system as far as we learnt makes parents the employer who then find the specialists required, they pay for it and then the government will receipt what services they think you needed, its a black mark on other wise great country, other than 10 days holiday a year annual leave minus Bank Holidays, I take that unpaid in a year on top of my leave here for the kids, in my experience I would of been canned in Canada for mentioning kids with disabilities, they want there pound of flesh in the industries I worked.
Pm me your email and I'll forward the presentation to you.
if you find an in keep us updated on here just incase things have changed my info is nearly 2 years old

Re: Move to Canada with child with disabilities? Police transfer from UK?
 

Think of it this way, America offers next to no social supports, that's the bar Canada is measured against. Canada just does enough to be better than the US, but nothing as close as the typical European welfare state.

Re: Move to Canada with child with disabilities? Police transfer from UK?
 

I wouldn't dream of telling my employer/clients that I have a disabled child. That would be like admitting to having a chronic illness and a real career limiting move. The situation is problematic where an employer offers benefits that might be useful to the child; the employee can't claim the benefits without admitting to having the need. The same way that a benefit plan covering AZT can never be useful to an employee. That was always part of my thinking in going for higher pay rather than pay + benefits.