The list of services in this section is intended to provide parents of children with exceptionalities with an idea of the community resources that are available. This list does not exhaust all of the existing options for parents, but I believe that the three resources listed below are highly useful in providing direction and support for families.
1. Learning Disabilities Association of Ottawa-Carleton
Address: 160 Percy St, Rm #2 (McNabb Public School)
Ottawa, ON K1R 6E5
Telephone: 613-567-5864
Description of Services: The Learning Disabilities Association of Ottawa-Carleton (LDAOC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting increased awareness and respect for persons with learning disabilities (LDs). This association engages the community and professional groups in assisting in their understanding of LDs. It also provides support and resources for families and individuals dealing with LDs so that they can be successful. A number of programs and services are offered that individuals and families can draw from to better understand LDs.
Through experience working with parents of children with special needs, I have come to understand the importance of parent support groups. The Learning Disabilities Association holds a “Parent Support/Education Night” every month during the school year, which I think is such a great opportunity for parents. For example, the topic for this upcoming month’s meeting (being held on April 7, 2011) is “Understanding IPRCs and IEPs: What is Their Role in Your Child’s Education? (with a Guest Speaker: Representative from the Ministry of Education)”. Parents can gain valuable information during these meetings, in addition to meeting other parents with a child with special needs in the Ottawa area.
Another service that this association offers involves assistive technology, which is a key tool for individuals with learning disabilities. LDAOC offers samples of a variety of assistive technologies, and beginning in 2011, they will provide training on various technologies through their AT Teaching Lab. Parents could certainly benefit from this provided training, as I imagine that understanding the workings of assistive technologies can be somewhat overwhelming.
2. Ottawa Children’s Treatment Centre
Address: 395 Smyth Road
Ottawa, ON K1H 8L2
Telephone: 613-737-0871
Description of Services: OCTC is a leader in providing specialized care for those with multiple physical, developmental, and associated behavioural needs, focusing on the Ottawa Region's children and youth. This association exemplifies community partnership, maximizing integration and independence for clients and their families. OCTC functions and provides services in English and French while striving to meet the needs of the culturally diverse community of Ottawa.
One of the programs that is offered by OCTC is the Early Childhood Program (ECP) that is intended for children with exceptionalities from birth to school entry. Parents should be aware of this service in order to provide early intervention services for their child, which could help to enhance their learning potential when they enter school.
OCTC also offers a “Clinic for Augmentative Communication (CAC)”, which provides equipment and support to children and youth who have severe difficulty speaking or writing and who require augmentative and alternative methods of communication. CAC also offers consultations for speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists working with children and youth who use or may need augmentative and alternative methods of communication. This is a great opportunity for parents to make contact with additional support workers that may help to target the needs of their child.
3. Service Coordination of Ottawa
Address: 200 Montreal Rd.
Ottawa, ON K1L 8H2
Telephone: 613-748-1788
Description of Services: Service Coordination is the initial contact for individuals who have a developmental disability or autism in the Ottawa region. This association helps people find the supports and services in the community that are needed to assist them in their daily lives. One of their most important goals is to empower families/individuals to make informed choices about the supports they seek.
I believe that this is a useful resource for parents for a few reasons. As the above service description states, Service Coordination is one of the first contacts that parents can access in order to gain an understanding of all of the possible resources that are available to support their child’s needs. When a child is diagnosed with exceptional needs, it can be a very overwhelming and difficult time for parents. Service Coordination of Ottawa can act as the ‘central point of access’ for parents to get an idea of how to proceed in the best interests of their child. It is much easier to make one phone call and access an array of service options.
Service Coordination of Ottawa also provides contact information for parents to access a ‘Worker Bank’ as well as ‘respite services’. The Worker Bank provides workers to families who are in need of respite and/or developmental programming for their child with a physical or developmental disability. This is often beneficial for parents who are on a waitlist to receive services. Parents can obtain information about special needs service workers in Ottawa to provide assistance and programming while the child waits to receive funded Government services. Making connections with respite workers is also valuable for parents. Respite workers offer families a ‘break’ from care-giving responsibilities for a short period of time. Evidently, supporting a child with special needs can be exhausting and overwhelming at times, and parents and family members need to have some time to ‘recharge’ in order to continue to provide the best care.