A mother and an advocate for inclusive education is taking a stand in terms of classroom violence. Her thoughts are that violence in the education system is having repercussions outside the classroom. It is pitting parents against administrators, and parents against parents.

Those whose children struggle at school and have violent outbursts are being confronted by those whose children are witness to what is happening and feel the effects.

MacQuarrie is a mother of three adopted children in Halifax, ages 8, 9 and 11, who cause disruptions at school. She is also a human rights consultant for Inclusion International.

She agreed to risk speaking publicly as part of the program\’s continuing series on school violence. It began with Alisa Siegel\’s documentary, \”Hard Lessons,\” about the rise in violence against teachers by elementary school students.

Following that, a panel of three specialists with decades of experience in education weighed in. The program also shared input from parents who are frustrated and angry because their children are being affected by violent outbursts. Many of them are questioning the value of inclusive education.

Schools have adopted the principle of inclusive education, welcoming all kinds of children — including those with learning difficulties, behavioural challenges and mental or physical disabilities — into age-appropriate, regular classrooms.

MacQuarrie has stated that she is frustrated by the continued questioning of whether inclusive education is worthwhile. She firmly believes it is a right. MacQuarrie has argued that the issue isn\’t inclusion but integration and that part of the issue is that there needs to be more support to integrate students so there are less instances of frustration that leads to violence. MacQuarrie describes her children as amazing, funny and clever, but they are easily overwhelmed with anxiety due to \”sensory issues.\”

McQuarrie believes much more can be done to support children who see violent outbursts in the classroom and feel traumatized. She said it would be worthwhile to reflect on how a child is having a hard time using their words and having a hard time staying calm and in control. Then, we should try to identify what can be done so the child isn\’t having to communicate in a certain way in the first place.

MacQuarrie adds that it is also important to be empathetic with parents of children who feel stressed by violent incidents and to apologize, but they need to work together as a community to find a solution.

Situations like this always pose a challenge but, as MacQuarrie states, by working together to find a solution as a community is what will help all children excel in their lives and experiences.

A new online training module developed by the Canucks Autism Network (CAN) has been introduced with the Port Moody Police force. It will give Port Moody Police tools when engaging with individuals who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

An article in the Tri-City News discusses how Rob DeGoey said the diagnosis of his son\’s developmental disorder four years ago impacted his family. However, as a youth liaison officer with the Port Moody police department, he also knew his son’s tendency to wander and his repetitive behaviours when in a stressful situation could “present as a risk” to people who don’t know him, especially first responders like police.

As part of his own education about autism, DeGoey toured the Pacific Autism Family Network in Richmond, which provides supports for people and families affected by autism. This experienced really opened his eyes and made him motivated to do something in his local community. That seed grew to his involvement with CAN to help develop the new program, which also includes in-person training for a variety of possible scenarios.

Port Moody Police Chief Const. Dave Fleugel said the additional training for the department’s 55 officers and more than a dozen civilian employees was a major success.

Hallie Mitchell, the director of training at CAN, said since the online program was launched in January, more than 650 people — a range of first responders, including police, firefighters, RCMP, BC Emergency Health Services and government workers — have registered. She said the online model allows the training to reach more people, including first responders from other provinces who’ve shown interest in the program.

Fleugel said as police departments increasingly deal with calls that are more of a social service nature than criminal, they have to broaden their skills.

DeGoey is a finalist for an Autism BC excellence in autism award as its volunteer of the year that will be presented April 26th.

We are excited to hear that about the online training program as it helps our whole community move closer to greater inclusion across the Tri-Cities.

Finding appropriate, affordable housing can tough for anyone in the Lower Mainland, but for people living with developmental disabilities, those challenges can often be greater.

With that in mind, the charity L’Arche is building 39 new affordable units in partnership with BC Housing as part of its community in Burnaby.

“I think in a society where isolation and loneliness is more and more a reality, it’s been named one of the greatest disabling conditions in our society,” Executive Director Denise Haskett says. “This building and the people living in it will really have an opportunity to come together in different ways and just have that sense of belonging and being part of something, together.”

If everything goes to plan, the building will be complete by 2021. The plan is to address two issues — both related to the loneliness epidemic — around the Lower Mainland. The housing units will expand residential and program spaces for adults living with developmental disabilities, and will also offer additional affordable units at below market for those wanting to be part of the L’Arche community.

Haskett says rent varies, and adds there will be subsidy units as well as housing income limits in place.

This is an interesting project and we will keep everyone in our community posted about further developments of the project as it continues.

The employment rate for Canadian adults with autism is just 14%, according to a 2012 study. The article mentions a number of examples of individuals, most who are educated, that have a hard time getting a job due to the way the recruitment process is setup. It highlights some of the challenge these individuals face.

The hardest element of this is that it actually does a disservice to the employer as well. Many of these individuals who may not get through the interview stage could end up being very loyal, hardworking and valuable staff for the employer.

This job fair seeks to open up the dialogue and attempts to find new ways to handle the recruitment process. This is a step forward in increasing these employment rate figures and also break down employment barriers for people with autism.

Take the time to read the full story to truly see the experiences of these individuals and the steps being taken to encourage change.

Back in June, we highlighted a documentary called Love, Hope & Autism. If you had a chance to watch the documentary from our blog, it really does help to shed light on living with ASD. As an offshoot from this documentary, we stumbled on these tips that are really helpful in learning how to connect with individuals who have ASD.

Here are 10 tips can help you connect with individuals who have ASD:

• Try to connect. Social isolation is a big risk for people with ASD. Avoidance makes that worse. Take your time to reach out to individuals with ASD to help open up the lines of communication.
• Keep an open mind. Just because a person struggles to connect does not mean they do not want to. Some people with autism are very social and desire friendships just like everyone else.
• Set aside fears. Remember that ASD does not automatically make a person aggressive. Meltdowns can happen, but they’re often about being overwhelmed. If your ASD acquaintance is visibly agitated, merely give them space and time to calm themselves.
• Forget social norms and conventions. Repetitive behaviours, such as hand flapping or noises, are coping mechanisms — nothing to be concerned about. Remember that eye contact may be difficult for an ASD person. Many ASD people use their body — not words — to communicate. Try not to stare when they do unusual things.
• Look for creative ways to connect. Ask a caregiver for best practice advice for individuals. Speak at a reasonable pace and volume, and use short sentences. Some children connect with touch, music or animals. Think non-verbal, perhaps pictures or flash-cards. Don’t expect an immediate response; it may take time.
• Be aware of sensitivities. Some people with autism are hypersensitive to sounds, smells or certain physical sensations. Some are exactly the opposite. Ask a caregiver for advice about making the environment comfortable for the person with ASD.
• Let people practice. Reach out and help ASD people practice social interaction. Every child and young adult needs to practice social interaction.
• Foster awareness. Remember your reaction to a person with ASD becomes part of how they see themselves and how others see them.
• Advocate for more respect and behavioural training supports. Sound the alarm about the lack of services for people, especially once they hit age 18. Take an active stand against bullying and abuse.
• Be inclusive. Keep in mind that ASD is complex. Focus on more than just a “cure.” Think acceptance and inclusion. Says Iarocci: “It’s not the kind of thing you can fix. You need to be understanding. People with ASD just do things differently.”

To read more, check out the original article by clicking here.

The City of Coquitlam is offering Everyone Welcome Inclusive Programming for drop-in sports. Individuals and their support workers, family or friends can come play a variety of different sports such as basketball, floor hockey, lacrosse, soccer and more.

The program runs Tuesdays (from April 9th – June 25th) from 11am – 12:30pm. The cost if $2/person and is free for attendants. For more information, click here.

Come join in for some sports and fun!

A very enlightening story about the power of inclusion in the workplace. The article mentions how sometimes it just takes a moment to realize certain things. For Sam Benamron, that moment came in 2016, as he was giving out gift cards: One of the physiotherapy clinics he owns had been the main sponsor for a production of the I Can Dream Theatre, a charitable performing arts company for adults with special needs. “Part of the deal was that we would buy $100 gift cards to pay them for putting on the play,” he recalled.

As he handed them to each of the players, “I saw their reaction, and it was priceless. That $100 gift card was as if they had just won the lottery. A light went on. I said, ‘I need to do this on a more personal level.’

That year, he hired two of the young people to work at his Verdun clinic. The following year, after he acquired a clinic in Montreal North, he hired a third. Paul Fernandes, Ainslie Macdonald and Lindsay Oksenberg do such tasks as launder towels and pillowcases and fold them, wash equipment and clean the beds — tasks Benamron was able to eliminate from the physiotherapists’ responsibilities to free them to spend more time with patients. They’re called physio helpers: It’s a regular job, with statutory holidays and vacation pay.

The three have flourished. Filmmaker Merrill Matthews, who is also involved with I Can Dream Theatre, has made a touching and beautiful 24-minute documentary about them and their experience, to be screened March 28 at the Wagar Adult Education Centre in Côte-St-Luc as part of an evening symposium about inclusive hiring.

This really demonstrates the power of promoting inclusive in the our workplaces. To read more about this story, check out the article.

…if their child has just been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

With it being World Autism Awareness Month, it\’s important to raise acceptance and understanding for autism. At CVS, we don\’t just do this in April but we do this everyday. Everyday we help individuals who are on the autism spectrum as well as their families. We found this article by the CBC an interesting one for parents who are new to the world of autism.

Here are 8 things parents should know if their child has just been diagnosed with ASD:

1. Take time to process – When your child receives a diagnosis, you\’ll experience a wide range of emotions. That\’s normal and perfectly OK. While you might have been expecting this diagnosis for a long time, you still need to give yourself some time to process what that diagnosis means. Especially if it is a diagnosis or label that you weren\’t expecting or aren\’t familiar with.
2. Do your research – Knowledge is power! You need to learn everything you can about your child\’s diagnosis and what therapy options are available, if therapy is indeed something you want to explore. You need to read the pros and cons about the different therapies so you can make the best informed decision for your child.
3. The diagnosis does not have to be a negative thing – Unfortunately, some diagnostic labels come with a lot of negative baggage. Who knows why, but here\’s the thing: a label is what you make it out to be. It does not have to be negative at all. As the article states, a diagnosis can open up the door to funding, support and a variety of other things your child and family may need.
4. You\’re likely to come across a lot of bad advice – If someone tells you about the latest and greatest therapy or whatever, then do the research yourself. Use that research to determine what is and what is not worth pursuing. Trust me, there is a lot of bad advice and misinformation out there.
5. Find a support group – Raising a child, regardless of whether or not they have a diagnosis, is not always easy. There will be hard days and it\’s important to have someone you can talk to on those days, someone who can listen to you or offer support based on their experiences. Your support group doesn\’t have to consist of someone else raising a child with the same diagnosis. Nor does it have to be a local, in-person type of support group. An online support group or friend can be extremely valuable to you as well. However, someone who has experience dealing with similar diagnoses may be helpful to you on those particularly challenging days.
6. Connect with others who have the same diagnosis – It is important to have friends who do have the same diagnosis as my child. Or at the bare minimum, at least read writings from people with the same diagnosis. They can provide an incredible amount of information and insight that no other professional, parent or expert can.
7. Be prepared to advocate – When your child gets diagnosed, things don\’t automatically get easier. You are likely going to have to advocate hard for your child everywhere you go. That\’s why it is important to connect with others who have the same diagnosis and research everything. The more educated you are about the diagnosis, the better it will be for advocating for your child\’s needs.
8. Accept your child for who they are – The diagnosis does not change them. The therapy options you use should not seek to change them either. Simply embrace your child for who they are, because they are pretty amazing.

We hope this helps you as you and your child navigate these early stages of their life. Children are our future and best of all, none of us are the same. The uniqueness of us all is what really makes this world an interesting place to live.

According to a 2018 report by the Canada FASD Research Network, an estimated 1.5 million Canadians have FASD. That\’s about 4% of the country\’s population. For children in welfare or foster care, the prevalence could be as high as 11%.

In an interview on CBC radio, Miles – an individual with FASD – says that many people don\’t understand the daily struggles for people living with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder or FASD. \”In school, it was: I was lazy. I wasn\’t trying. I didn\’t care. And then I would get detention — when in actuality what was happening was, I maybe was struggling with the sensory issues: it was too bright. It was too loud. There was too much going on,\” he told White Coat, Black Art host Dr. Brian Goldman. Himmelreich was born with FASD. It\’s a diagnosis caused by the brain damage that occurs with prenatal exposure to alcohol.

Symptoms can include learning disabilities, speech delays and trouble regulating emotions. It can be difficult to diagnose, as the symptoms are similar to other developmental disabilities.

As a teenager, Himmelreich says he had the developmental capacity closer to that of a seven-year-old. But the school system and social structures around him, he says, expected him to behave the same as his peers without FASD.

This created a loneliness for Miles and many others with FASD experience something similar. To learn more about Miles\’ story and FASD, check out this article on CBC and take the time to listen to the interview on CBC radio.

It is that time of year again where we are reaching out to the people we serve, their families, our staff and stakeholders to gather information for our Outcomes Report. Every year we reach out to see how these stakeholders feel about our service from the lenses of efficiency, access, and satisfaction. In addition, we ask what we are doing well and how we might improve. All of this data gets analyzed and folded into a report that we call the Outcomes Management Report.

Recently, we have sent out a link to an online survey for the Outcomes Report and we ask that you please take the time to fill out the survey so we can get a better picture of how we are doing. The higher the response rate we have, the better our understanding of the service we will have. We\’re hoping to wrap up the survey by Tuesday, April 16th so please try your best to complete the survey by this date.

If you have any questions about our Outcomes Report please feel free to contact Pete Stone, Manager of Human Resources & Quality Assurance at [email protected].