BC Parents Want Evidence-Based Learning Programs and Supports in ALL BC School Districts

There can be hope for children with autism in BC schools    

Parents want evidence‐based learning programs and supports established in all B.C. school districts. 

  

February 17 2014, Surrey, BC:  Recent news stories such as the Seclusion and Restraint report and most recently the story of Susan DeBeck, a Vancouver teacher who claims she was fired for standing up for her students with special needs, shows the education system is in a state of crisis when it comes to providing appropriate supports for students with special needs. 

A local non‐profit autism support group is reaching out to the Minister of Education and district administration across BC to educate them about Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), which is the scientifically supported gold standard in teaching and behaviour management.  

ABA is a structured teaching method in which functional skills are broken down and taught one step at a time. That means that children with autism can learn and flourish in all areas including language and communication, play and leisure, self help, life skills and academics. 

Families of children with autism often put ABA teams together to work with their children at home. Dione Costanzo, director of the ABA Support Network says that the results are worth the emotional and financial stress. 

However, once a child with autism enters school in a district that does not have supports for ABA programs, the results achieved at home can be severely compromised, says Costanzo. “All the successes achieved can grind to a halt and often the child regresses.” 

ABA is widely considered to be the most effective, evidence‐based learning approach for children with autism yet Surrey is the only school district in B.C. that has an established system for hiring ABA‐trained teaching aides. 

Costanzo says that the ABA Support Network and parents are on a mission to change this. 

“Children have a right to an education and ABA is the best method to achieve this for children with autism,” says Costanzo. “Implementing these programs, and training and hiring more ABA teaching assistants is the right thing to do, and it's the law.” 

According to the landmark Supreme Court of BC ruling – Hewko v. B.C., 2006 BCSC 1638 ‐ what is required for children with autism to access an education is adherence to their established ABA programs, and the availability of teaching aides that are trained to carry it out.  In most B.C. school districts, ABA programs are not accommodated nor do teaching aides have the proper training to support these programs.

Costanzo says that implementing the ABA programs is a cost‐neutral exercise, it just requires the political will. 

“Getting an appropriate education system for children with autism in place with ABA‐trained teaching aides requires political will and leadership,” she says. “It will not increase costs but it will be utilizing existing funds more effectively.” 

The ABA Support Network is a parent‐led, non‐profit organization whose mission is to improve access to ABA support and services for individuals with autism. 

For information about the ABA Support Network contact Dione Costanzo at dione@abasupportnetwork.com or 604‐817‐1526.  Anyone interested in learning more about autism and ABA in Schools can visit the ABA Support Network website.  

TAKEN: BC Government Takes Autistic Girl From Caring Dad

 

Derek Hoare shows a picture of himself with his daughter Ayn in happier times

John Van Putten Photo

The British Columbia government,  Ministry of Children and Family Development, has taken an autistic girl from her father's care after she went missing, very briefly, and was found safe at the nearby home of a neighbor. The father is on social assistance and had care of two autistic children, with the agreement of his wife.  He is described in the Adrian MacNair - Abbotsford  News report on  bclocalnews.com  as a caring father.  

I felt a real chill reading this article and the father's description of his discovery that his daughter had gone missing. I felt that chill, in large part, because years ago my son Conor went missing on my watch and I reacted much as the father did in this case,  running around looking for him, then calling police. In my case my son was safe and sound in the neighborhood, at a local convenience store.  In Mr. Hoare's case his daughter was also safe and sound, at a neighbor's pool just two houses away.  In my case I recovered my son without further ado.  In Mr. Hoare's case the BC government took his daughter away from him as he describes:

 "More than three hours later, Ayn was found two houses over in a neighbour’s pool. She was safe and sound. It was a fairy tale ending, told by various media covering the story. And for a moment, it was.When the police brought Ayn back, she ran to her father and threw her arms around his shoulders as he breathed tearful relief. But four days later, representatives from the Ministry of Children and Family Development came to his house with orders to take Ayn away.

“Basically, what they’re saying is I’m a single dad and I have two autistic kids and my other son and it’s too much for me to handle. So, they’re going to take one of my kids away to lighten my load,” said Derek on Tuesday, after learning he wouldn’t even be able to see his daughter until a hearing determines access rights.

Because of her 24-hour care requirements, she won’t go into a foster home, but will be placed in a psychiatric facility for evaluation.Derek is concerned she will be sedated and drugged for her autism, which he has always opposed, despite doctor advice to the contrary.“They’re probably holding her down and sedating her,” he said, his voice choking. “This is a nightmare.”A single father on social assistance, Derek said he has custody of his three children with the approval of ex-wife Amie Van Dyk."

The BC Local News article goes on to describe the steps that the dad had taken to provide a safe environment for his autistic children.  When my son went missing we did call a behavior consultant who was already working with Conor and she designed some programs to encourage him to stay in our yard.  Even with that training though Conor, like Derek Hoare's daughter, requires 24-7 supervision. 

I hope that the BC Ministry of Children and Social Development does not keep this father and his daughter apart. I hope they work with him and provide help for his daughter.  Government's should not be punishing the father ... or his daughter ... because they face serious challenges arising from her autism disorder. They should work WITH the father ... not AGAINST him and not against his daughter's right to live with a caring parent.  A caring parent is an important asset for any child, including and perhaps especially, a child with a severe autism disorder.  It is an asset that should not be lightly squandered and taken away by government officials.

Autism and Gordon Campbell's Vile IQ Flip Flop

"We now live in a province that lavishes millions of dollars on bobsledders and junkies, but nickels-and-dimes those with autism, fetal alcohol syndrome, the mentally challenged . . . and the families who worry about protecting them."

Pete McMartin, Vancouver Sun

Pete McMartin is the Vancouver Sun columnist who produced, with Sun photographer Glenn Baglo, a series of articles called Faces Of Autism one of the most accurate and comprehensive presentations of autism in the main stream media. In It was wrong months ago -- and it is still wrong today McMartin rips British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell and Children's Minister Tom Christensen for reversing their stated positions on the use of an IQ of 70 as a measure in assessing elgibility of developmentally disabled persons for receipt of government services.

This week, Premier Gordon Campbell and Children's Minister Tom Christensen signed an order making an IQ of 70 or under one of the criteria for receiving services. They did so to do an end-run around a B.C. Court of Appeal ruling that the province could not deny services to the developmentally disabled on the grounds of IQ. The reversal arises from legal advice following an appeal court decision and is described as "temporary".

McMartin crticizes the arbitrary reliance on IQ as opposed to more realistic assessments of ability to function in society ... or face real life challenges ..... and uses the examples of two autistic persons whose parents he worked with in researching Faces of Autism, one just below the 70 IQ cut off, will be eligible for services, and one well over that number who will not. The mother of the autistic son with the higher IQ points out that her son has serious problems with socialization and problem solving, alone he might have no idea what to do if a fire breaks out in his home. He needs life long support to be able to cope.

But being "smarter" means Schuman's son needs fewer services and is better prepared to face the world as an adult, right?

Wrong. Autism is uneven in its effects. A child with autism might be able to, say, recite long passages of poetry from memory, but the same child may not be able to tie his shoes.

Pete McMartin called the Campbell government decision vile. I fully agree.

autism

Autistic Teen Missing in British Columbia

And still another missing autistic person, this time in British Columbia:

MAPLE RIDGE (NEWS1130) reports that RCMP is asking for help finding Jimmy Fearon, a missing 14 year old, high functioning autistic boy, last seen at around 2 pm Saturday in Maple Ridge.

Police say he's very friendly with strangers and is known to frequent bus stops and loves riding on buses. Ferron is white, 4"11, 80 lbs with short brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing blue jeans, a black t-shirt with some writing on the front and black running shoes. If you see Jimmy, call police.

autism