AN OPEN LETTER TO THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION, CLIFF CULLEN

An Open Letter to MLA Cliff Cullen, Minister of Education for Manitoba 

 

Cliff Cullen, Minister of Education

Room 168, Legislative Building

450 Broadway
Winnipeg, MB R3C 0V8

April 9, 2021

Dear Mr. Cullen,

Do not assume the parents who write open letters or express concerns about the proposed changes to our education system have not read the (sparse) information provided.  We *have* read the documents and we still have very serious concerns.  Stop insulting the intelligence of Manitobans.  With all due respect, Mr. Cullen, your open letter sets absolutely nothing straight.  In fact, it further highlights how out of touch our Conservative government is and how little you have listened to the experts trying to advise you on how best to support students in Manitoba’s public schools.

You claim the Conservative government has reduced child poverty by 25% since 2016.  That figure may sound nice when you offer it up without any context.  In fact, Manitoba's poverty rate has decreased the least of any province in all of Canada, and we are still 10% behind the national average.  Not to mention, poverty rates in Manitoba decreased largely due to the Federal Child Tax Benefit program, which coincidentally was introduced in July of 2016, and had nothing to do with the Conservative government.  Manitoba still has second highest rate of poverty in Canada at 28.3%.  

I’m also wondering how our government can expect single parents to volunteer for Parent Advisory Councils (PACs) while working multiple minimum and low-wage jobs just to scrape together enough to provide for their families?  In Manitoba, over 60% of single-parent households are below the poverty line, but they should somehow “sacrifice” in order to volunteer at their child's school?  Exactly which "sacrifice" does our Premier want these parents to make, I wonder?  Should they sacrifice buying groceries?  Paying rent?  Their utilities?  

In schools that have PACs, those councils are primarily made up of white, higher-income parents who have the resources, the time, and the privilege to volunteer at their children's schools.  This is in no way to devalue their hard work.  Unfortunately, Mr. Pallister’s comments made in question period on March 22 were based on faulty assumptions.  Due to systemic racism and ableism, most of the parents who work multiple jobs to make ends meet are Indigenous peoples, immigrants, people of colour, people with disabilities, and other minority groups that already experience systemic racism and oppression.  Most of the privileged families in Canada are white.  Because racism.  

So now, groups that are already struggling will have even less of a say in the way their children’s schools are run because the higher-income families will be taking up all the room at the table.     

How will high-income, white, stay-at-home parents understand the struggles faced by those in minority groups?  How will a parent whose children do not have any disabilities understand the needs of the families and students who do?  Parents whose children have disabilities are already busy trying to work to pay for therapies, taking their children to appointments, and meeting with teachers and school staff to advocate for their children.  Where are we supposed to find the time to volunteer?  And if we don’t, are we not making enough of a “sacrifice” for our children, as Mr. Pallister suggested?  

The only thing that we seem to agree on, Mr. Cullen, is that our current education system needs to change.  Yes, it needs a massive overhaul, but the Conservatives are clearly not equipped or qualified to do this and are not willing to listen to the experts who want to guide our policy-makers in the best interests of children.  

So, Mr. Pallister and Mr Cullen: Kindly step aside and let the experts do their jobs.  Perhaps there is room on your children’s parent councils for you to voice your ill-informed, uneducated opinions with the other privileged parents? 

Sincerely,

Concerned Manitoba Parents

and

ADHD 2e Pro

Source

Most of our statistical information came from The Social Planning Council of Winnipeg's Report Card on Poverty in Manitoba.  

We have included this open letter on our website and have also uploaded the Report of the Commission on K to 12 Education and the Poverty in Manitoba Report Card with the 2020 Update.  

Manitoba Education's SSP Handbook Needs An Upgrade

Manitoba Education's SSP Handbook 

Manitoba Education's SSP (Student-Specific Plan) Handbook leaves much to be desired.  The biggest issue is the lack of specific, concrete direction for school staff when implementing the goals outlined in a student's IEP or SSP.  If a school staff member has never written an SSP before, they unfortunately will not find much help in Manitoba Education's handbook.  

The biggest issue is that the Handbook outlines how to write S.M.A.R.T. goals for the student, but says very little about accountability and direction for staff in terms of supporting the student to achieve those goals.  Goals will not be effective if there are not concrete steps that the school staff will take in order to meet the student's needs, and then concrete steps that the school staff and student will take together in order to achieve the goals outlined in the SSP.  That portion is missing from the Handbook, and without inclusion of those concrete steps, the SSP is of very little use to staff or the student.  

Highlighting and emphasis in coloured text added by ADHD 2e Pro

Here is what is included in the current Handbook:

(Not-so) “SMART” SSOs (Student-Specific Objectives) 

Specific: written in clear, unambiguous language

Measurable: allow student achievement to be described, assessed, and evaluated

Achievable: realistic for the student

Relevant: meaningful for the student

Time-related: able to be accomplished within a specific time period, typically one school year

Here is what must be included in order for those "smart" goals to be of any use:

(Student-Centered) S.M.A.R.T SSOs

Specific: written in clear, unambiguous language


Specific, concrete direction for the staff regarding what works best for this individual student and what school staff roles will be in helping to meet the student’s needs.  

Oftentimes these goals are written with what the school wishes the student would/could do, rather than what would be in the student's best interest, and that is not okay. 

Measurable: allow student achievement to be described, assessed, and evaluated


Yes, we need to be able to measure whether the accommodations and supports are achieving their desired outcome, which should be to meet the student’s needs and help the student to achieve their goals.  

However, the pressure should not be on the school staff, nor on the student, to perform for standardized testing or assessments.  The focus must, first and foremost, be on meeting the student’s needs, regardless of what that looks like on an evaluation.  

If the student's needs are not being met, then their goals are useless, and cannot realistically be achieved.  

To be clear: the primary purpose of the SSP is to outline what supports a student needs in order to be on a level playing field with their peers, not what goals the student should meet in order to make life easier for school staff.  

Achievable: realistic for the student

An SSP should also have supports and accommodations that are realistic for the staff to provide as well.  If an accommodation is required and staff do not know how to meet this need, then they are obligated to seek support from their division.  Accommodations for students' disabilities are not optional, and if the school or division lacks the resources to provide them, then it is their obligation to apply for funding from the province in order to meet the student's need.  

Relevant:         meaningful for the student


This point is incredibly important.  We will not get buy-in from the student if they don’t care about their goals, and if they are not involved in the process of creating their own goals.  In whatever way is developmentally appropriate, the student should be consulted and have input into their SSP.  They should be given an opportunity to express their wishes, and describe how they feel they can be best supported at school.  

Time-related: able to be accomplished within a specific time period, typically one school year


SSP goals should be short-term as well as long-term.  If there is a goal for the end of the school year, then smaller, achievable goals, should be made for the interim in order to help the student progress toward that year-end goal.  If you have a year-end goal in September, then that goal is too broad, and it needs to be broken up into smaller steps that can be re-visited quarterly.  Ideally, the SSP team is meeting each term, but also communicating very regularly, almost daily if needed.  This daily communication can be in the form of a staff log/communication book or short emails, but they team needs to collaborate and keep everybody up to date.  

The most glaringly inadequate portion of Manitoba Education's SSP Handbook is reference to staff roles and responsibilities when it comes to supporting the student and meeting the student's needs.  In particular when supporting younger students with SSPs, there needs to be increased focus on what school staff will do in order to support the student to meet their goals.  

This is their current framework for developing SSOs: 

This is what it should look like (with an example included): 

Manitoba Education's Roles and Responsibilities for Staff focus primarily on the tasks involved in actually writing the SSP and evaluating the goals, not on how the staff will actually implement the steps outlined within, nor on how they will specifically support the student along the way: 

That is a huge oversight, and one that can make the difference between an SSP that will actually help the student succeed, and an SSP that wastes a whole lot of time and paper. 

One document that is potentially quite helpful is the Parent Handout (appendix F), yet I've never seen it actually given to a parent (I made just a couple of notes that I feel are important to include - click the image to go to our website and download your own PDF copy): 

Schools should be required to provide this to each and every parent and caregiver that will be attending their first SSP/IEP meeting.  There should also be a student and parent "bill of rights" that every family receives.  Currently there isn't adequate legislation in Manitoba regarding the rights of students with disabilities, which I discussed in my last blog post.  

If you need assistance advocating for your child, please do not hesitate to contact us.  

About the Author

Jillian is an ADHD 2e Coach and Child Advocate in Manitoba, Canada.

Jillian has a diploma in Child & Youth Work and a Degree in Psychology, as well as being the parent of an amazing 2e/ADHD child.

Visit ADHDPro.ca and Facebook.com/ADHD2ePro to learn more.

If you need help educating your child's school, your family, or with general ADHD coaching or advocacy, please feel free to contact us.  

We Need Legislation.  

Manitoba needs formal special needs education legislation to protect our children and all vulnerable students, and to hold schools accountable for following individualized plans and for providing required accommodations.  Like, yesterday.  

I will try not to let this blog post turn into a rant, but I do hope you'll forgive me if I do have a little soap box under my feet today.  

In the U.S., they have a law called I.D.E.A. that is intended to do just that.  Attorney Andrew Lee explained it better than I could in an article on Understood.org.  

In short, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to eligible children with disabilities throughout the United States and ensures special education and related services to those children.

Under this law, there are certain protections for students with disabilities, and safeguards in place to compel schools to follow individualized education plans (IEPs). 

Because education is a provincial responsibility, the procedures and regulations can differ from one Canadian province to another.  For example, Ontario recognizes IEPs as legal working documents.  

Meanwhile, in Manitoba... 

Manitoba?  Does not.  

Source: https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/specedu/iep

Here in Manitoba parents just have to cross their fingers and hope the school will follow their child's individualized plan.  If the school does not, parents and caregivers have to do all of the leg work themselves: making phone calls, requesting meetings, advocating for their child, begging and pleading.  Some families also have to pay for independent professional assessments, professional supports, or professional advocates out of their own pockets.  There is no teeth to these documents, and little recourse for families if their child's school refuses to follow the student's IEP/SSP.

And all of that leg work?  That can only happen when families actually know and understand what an IEP/SSP is intended for, only for families who have the resources to educate themselves, and only for families who have the time and resources to dedicate to advocating for their child.  If not, the child is the one who suffers.  It can be more than a full-time job just advocating and supporting a child with a disability, even if they are in school full-time, if the school isn't following their IEP.  Attending meetings, writing emails, making phone calls, attending appointments and consulting with outside professionals...  If the parent is a single-parent, or both parents work outside of the home, or other personal circumstances don't allow them the time or financial resources to do all of this, then it's left up to the school to do what they feel is best.  Unfortunately this is often what is best for the school instead of what is best for the student.  

I don't mean that school staff don't care or want to do their absolute best for their students.  Most absolutely do, and many are as frustrated as we are.  Unfortunately resources and funding to schools are so poor that if no one is really pushing them to find a way, then they will end up putting their institutional needs first.  There unfortunately remain some administrators and educators with archaic ideas about how students should behave and how behavioural challenges should be dealt with, which creates yet another layer of difficulty for the students and their families. 

Given all this, we need legislation.  We need Canada-wide legislation that holds administrators accountable equally across the country, that holds schools accountable for following independent plans, and for providing appropriate accommodations.  Too many children are falling through the cracks because their parents don't have the resources to fight for them and because our public schools are so under-funded that the schools don't have the proper resources to provide for the needs of their students.  

To learn more about how schools are funded in Manitoba, visit Manitoba's Ministry of Education website.  

Click here to learn more about the (inadequate) laws that govern Education in Manitoba.  These laws are incredibly general, and quotes from the Charter of Human Rights, which "guarantees all Canadians equality before and under the law, the right to equal protection and benefit before and under the law, and the right to equal protection and benefit of the law without discrimination, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability”.  That's it.

The only specific rights afforded to students with disabilities by law are through the Appropriate Educational Programming Regulation, which is 15 years old (2005), which states that a principal must do the following: 

• Ensure the IEP is prepared with the assistance of the pupil's teacher and other in-school personnel, as directed by the principal;
• The IEP must take into account a pupil's behavioural or health care needs, if any;
• The IEP must be updated annually or sooner if required by a change in a pupil's behaviour or needs
• Ensure that the pupil's parents, and the pupil if appropriate, are given opportunity to participate in preparing and updating the pupil's plan.

That's it.  If a principal is choosing a path that clinicians, parents, or the student disagree with, the principal can move forward with the plan so long as it meets the above requirements.  There is little protection for the student, and no significant way to hold anyone accountable if they are not following the plan.  

That said, there are steps that parents can take.  Please click here to read our blog post with recommendations and suggestions for effectively advocating for children in school.  

There are Student Services Information for Parents posted on the Manitoba Education website as well, which again makes very broad and general statements such as "all students want to feel they belong and are value", but nothing specific and concrete for parents to turn to when needed.  

Another way you can advocate for your child, and all students with disabilities, is to make your --and their-- voices heard.  Share your experiences with those who have the ability to change policy and provide training, connect with other families so that you can join together and know you are not alone.  

Currently the Family Advocacy Network of Manitoba is asking for families with school-aged children in Manitoba to fill in a very short survey describing their back-to-school experiences during the Coronavirus pandemic.  Please share your experiences, the more we speak up, the better we can effect change. 

Teachers are doing the best they can

I want to make clear that I do not fault the teachers for large, systemic issues with our education system.  Most teachers just want to go to school and teach children.  They want to help their students grow and achieve.  Most teachers are doing the absolute best they can with incredibly inadequate resources.

It often takes many families pushing for change over many years to get administrators  ministers, and other politicians to take notice.  We have to keep bringing these issues to their attention and show them how important these issues are to Manitoba families.  The greater the number of parents that are speaking up, the louder our voices will become.  

If you need help advocating for your child at school, please feel free to contact us.  We can help you understand yours and your child's rights and help you collaborate with your school team to develop a child-centred plan that is supportive, positive, practical, and realistic.  

You can also find us on Facebook 

About the Author

Jillian is an ADHD 2e Coach and Child Advocate in Manitoba, Canada.

Jillian has a diploma in Child & Youth Work and a Degree in Psychology, as well as being the parent of an amazing 2e/ADHD child.

Visit ADHDPro.ca and Facebook.com/ADHD2ePro to learn more.

If you need help educating your child's school, your family, or with general ADHD coaching or advocacy, please feel free to contact us.  

My Child Was Diagnosed, Now What?

My Child Was Just Diagnosed As Neurodiverse... Now What Do I Do?  

First, take some time to digest and process this news.  

Breathe.  Call a friend.  Have a glass of wine.  Go for a jog.  Whatever your self-care is, do that first.  

Ok, now, let me tell you something about your child's diagnosis that you may not realize:  This is a good thing.  Seriously. 

Your child is exactly the same person they were before they received their diagnosis, it changes nothing about who they are.  They already knew they were different, and so did you, otherwise you wouldn't have pursued the assessment.  This diagnosis can provide some answers, understanding, and insight.  

What a diagnosis can also do is open doors to resources and supports that a child may need to be on a level playing field with their peers.  Once given these appropriate accommodations, both you and your child may begin to see what they are capable of.  This is so important because this is when they start to see their own strengths.  Many neurodiverse children struggle with low self-esteem because of all of the corrections and criticism they receive, so opportunities for them to shine are imperative.  

This new information provides an opportunity for adults in the child's life to educate themselves so they can better understand the child's unique needs, challenges, and strengths.  Seek evidence-based information on your child's neurodivergence and learn about how to best support them.  We have a blog post with book and podcast recommendations if you're looking for a good place to start.  There are also online communities of parents of differently wired children where you may find other parents and families with similar experiences.  

 

What Do I Tell My Child?  

A lot of parents wonder if they should even tell their child about their diagnosis, especially if they are quite young.  While each family will have to make their own decision based on what they think is best for their child, our advice is usually: yes.  Once you've had an opportunity to process the information, tell your child.  Chances are they already feel different and don't understand why.  This could help put things into perspective for them.  Many children blame themselves for being different, especially if they have been getting into trouble at school, at home, or in social situations.  It's important for neurodiverse children to understand they are not less than anyone else, it is not their fault that they've been struggling, they were simply born with a brain that works differently from many others.  

The good news is now that we know more about our differences, we can develop strategies to let the strengths shine through.  Remember to explain that our differences come with both challenges and gifts; there will be both pros and cons to having a different brain.  ADHD2e also has a blog post outlining some of the other ways in which getting a diagnosis can be helpful.  

If you're not sure how to explain the diagnosis to your child, seek the assistance of a professional.  The professional who did the assessment may be able to help you with finding age- and developmentally-appropriate ways to explain their findings with your child.  

 

What Happens Next? 

Once you've had time to sort through this information as a family, the next step is likely to inform your school.  If a school psychologist did the assessment, they can help provide information and recommendations to the school team.  If your child has been struggling at school, this is a good time for the school team to outline those specific struggles and how they will support and accommodate your child and meet their needs.  This should be a collaborative process with input from the classroom teacher, the resource teacher, the school psychologist, and the parents.  Depending on the student's age and comfort level, they may meet separately with the parent and teacher and/or the resource teacher, so that the child's experiences and wishes can be heard.  If not, the parent can discuss the child's goals at home and share them with the school team on their behalf.  Whatever way it happens, it is very important to give the student a voice and allow them to have some input into their support planning.    

Depending on the level of support and accommodations needed, the school team may develop an IEP/SSP for the student.  This is a very good idea because it provides documentation outlining the accommodations and supports agreed upon and should outline S.M.A.R.T. goals for the student.  The teams should meet regularly (usually once a month at first, and then less frequently as the student requires less support) to discuss the student's progress and make changes to the SSP as needed.  An SSP is a "living document", which means it changes along with the student as their needs and goals change.  

We recommend co-parents attend SSP meetings together if possible, or that a caregiver bring a support person along.  These meetings can be intimidating and overwhelming, so a support person can help take notes and provide moral support. 

 

What Else Can Parents Do?  

Depending on the child's diagnosis and needs, there may be other interventions to assist.  Some of these may be:

• Occupational Therapy (OT)

• Individual or Family Counselling

• Sensory Supports (such as fidget/sensory toys)

• Medication and/or paediatric oversight if appropriate

 

A note on professional services: 

ADHD 2e (and many experts) strongly recommends seeking out child-centred services that focus on: 

• Highlighting and building on your child's strengths (strengths-based supports)
• Helping you, your family, and your child see, appreciate, and foster these strengths 
• Clinicians/professionals who support neurodiverse children to love and accept themselves for who they are and give them the tools to self-advocate
• Avoid professionals who try to "fix" or "cure" a child's neurodiversity, or try to "train" humans to "act normal" 
• Professionals who help you and your child develop skills and strategies for managing the challenges that we can encounter due to neurodiversity 
• Important:  These skills & tools should be those that make the child's life easier, not others'.  Avoid professionals who encourage masking or forcing the child to adapt to neurotypical expectations

 
If your child sees a GP and does not yet have a paediatrician, we recommend getting a referral.  Here in Manitoba paediatricians are hard to come by, but if you have the option, ask your GP to send in a referral.  In Manitoba you can also register for the Find-A-Doctor service if you do not have one.  

There are also a number of community organizations with a variety of services, depending on your child's needs.  The psychologist who did the assessment and/or your division's social worker should be able to provide some resources for you, and many such services can be found online.  ADHD 2e has also compiled a number of local and online resources on our website.    

The next two most important things that we can do for our children are these:

Educate yourselves, your family, and your child's school.  You know your child best, and now you are getting to know them even better.  This will strengthen your relationship.  

Love your child unconditionally, show them with both words and actions that you love and accept them for exactly who they are.  Allow them to be their authentic selves and show them you appreciate all of who they are.  We are so lucky to have these incredible, unique individuals in our lives.  They will teach us a lot.  We will learn a lot.  What we want children to learn is that they are loved, understood, and accepted.  Nothing is more important than a sense of security and belonging.  

That is not to say that this journey is easy.  We all experience daily challenges and times when we really don't appreciate our child's behaviour.  There are extreme highs and lows.  Be compassionate with your child and with yourself.  Seek out your community, a support network, and take care of each other.  

 

Seeking a Diagnosis?

If you suspect your child may have ADHD, but haven't begun the process of seeking an assessment and possible diagnosis, ADHD 2e Pro has created a page outlining some of the options available for next steps you can take. 

Resources

Please visit our website for a list of ADHD resources available in Manitoba, as well as online resources.

If you need further assistance advocating for or supporting your child, please do not hesitate to contact us.  We are here to help.  

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How Do I Advocate for My Child?

How Can I Effectively Advocate For My Neurodiverse Child at School? 

 

If your child seems to be needing additional support at school, do not hesitate to reach out to the support team.  Positive communication between the school and home is one of the greatest predictors of success for children's education, and the earlier the better.  Don't wait for something big to happen and then react, be proactive.  If your child has had struggles in the past, be open and honest about them.  Let the teacher know what has worked well for your child in the past so that the school can be prepared to support the student and set them up for success.  The school support team usually consists of their teacher, the school principal, the resource teacher, and the guidance counsellor.  If your child has an SSP/IEP, or has required in-school support in the past, this team may also include the division's school psychologist and social worker.  These people are usually awesome, so please do not be intimidated by or worried about their involvement unless or until given a reason to be.  

First and foremost, start with the assumption that everyone is doing the best they can with the tools, skills, and resources available to them.  If your child's needs are not being met, you may just need to sit down with the classroom teacher and resource professional and discuss how they can help.  If more involvement is needed, then go ahead and ask for it, then proceed with the assumption that everyone has your child's best interests in mind.  Start with open dialogue and a desire to be collaborative.  Aim to work as a team to do what is best for your child, then check in frequently to ensure the plans are being put into place, and to see how they are going.  Teachers may currently be feeling too overwhelmed, or may not want to "bother" you and ask for ideas, but if you initiate conversation they will likely be more than willing to converse and ask questions.  Most teachers have a desire to help each student flourish and a desire to get to know them better. 

Be patient with your child's school, but do not accept less for your child because there is a pandemic.  Children with disabilities need even greater advocacy during this time, not less.  While the focus is primarily on physical health, as it must be, we cannot lose sight of children's mental health.  Children with disabilities deserve, need, and must be treated as equally valuable and important members of their communities, and this includes their school community.  

If you need help advocating for your child, below is a guideline for getting the process started.  If you are unsure as to the procedure to follow, check your division's website as they may have an organizational chart or concern procedure posted.  We have posted a suggested protocol on our website as well.  

 

When More is Needed 

1. After meeting with your child's teacher and resource professional, send an email thanking them for meeting with you and summarizing the next steps agreed upon to support your child.  End your email expressing your willingness and desire to help in any way you can and invite them to contact you (and/or your child's co-parent) with any questions.  
2. If this does not bring about a resolution, and you've tried working with the teacher, next contact your school's principal, in writing.  If you speak on the phone or in person, take notes and follow up with an email summarizing your conversation so that you have documentation of the communication.  Ask for concrete steps that will be taken, as well as timelines, and follow up on these.  
3. We suggest maintaining a record of communication with school staff and other professionals when advocating for your child.  This is to help parents keep contacts with professionals organized and to visualize the efforts parents are making on behalf of their children.  
4. If you have a school support team, you may seek their input as well.  As mentioned, this team may include a school psychologist, resource teacher, guidance counsellor, or social worker.  These professionals are there to advocate for and support the students, so please do not hesitate to seek out their help and expertise.  
5. If at any point in this process you feel you need a support person to attend a meeting with you, that is your right.  It can be intimidating and overwhelming to meet with school teams, so it may be helpful to have someone you trust along for moral support, or even to take notes so that you can review them later once emotions have settled.  
6. If you have tried working with the teacher and principal and are not satisfied, contact the principal's next-in-charge.  For some divisions this is a Director of Student Services.  This may differ by region, but your school division's website should have a guide for parents for escalating concerns.  If not, they may have an organizational chart outlining the roles and responsibilities of each team member.  
7. If you are not satisfied, and have tried your best with the principal and Director of Student Services, next contact your division's Assistant Superintendent.  Maintain documentation.  This is not to be combative or confrontational in any way, good documentation will help you stay organized during a stressful time and may be important to reference in the future.  
8. If you are not satisfied, contact your division's Superintendent.  As you will have been in contact with other divisional senior administration, it is likely they will have already been made aware of your concerns.  

On the Manitoba Education website, they have a formal dispute resolution protocol listed.  This may look slightly different across provinces.  

The Ministry of Education website also has a brochure called Working Together: A Parent's Guide to Formal Dispute Resolution

It has been our experience that many people within the system either don't know this process, or don't guide parents to this information, meaning that parents and caregivers aren't provided the details on what steps to take next if they don't feel heard somewhere along the way.  It is available on the Student Services website  and we have also uploaded a PDF file of the brochure onto our website to help make it more widely available and accessible.  

In our experience, if you are not getting the help you need from your school's senior administration, or if the problem is such that it requires assistance from someone with greater authority, these may be the next steps to take:  

1. Parents have the right to hire or contact an advocate.  This can be a private advocate the family hires on their child's behalf, or a non-profit organization that can assist.  The Manitoba Advocate also plays a role in advocating for children in the public education system.  They are an independent office, visit their website to learn more about their role in advocating for children and youth.  
2. If you are not satisfied, you can then file a formal complaint with your division's board of trustees.  Each division has a different board of trustees which should be listed on your school division's website.  School trustees are elected officials whose prime responsibility is to function as a board to set policy regarding the provision of educational services.  
3. If no resolution can be found at this level, families in our province can contact the Inclusion Support Branch of Manitoba's Department of Education.  
4. If none of these processes brings about a satisfactory resolution, families can bring their concerns right to the Minister of Education.  A Minister of Education is an elected Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) who is then appointed a portfolio based on their qualifications and experience, such as the ministry of education and training.  They are your representative at the Provincial level.  
5. If you are unsatisfied with both your Division's School Board and the Ministry's response, you can then formally request that the Minister appoint a 3-person committee to review the board's decision.  You may also wish to involve your region's MLA as a local representative in the Legislative.  Elections Canada has a handy online search tool for finding your MLA based on your home or school locations.  
6. Another option is to contact your local Legal Aid office, or to hire an Education Lawyer.  Hiring a lawyer privately would be a very expensive option.  If you are unable to get assistance and have gotten this far, we strongly recommend hiring a professional advocate before exploring the legal route.  If you've gotten this far, you may also consider changing your child's school or exploring other options for meeting their academic needs.  

You are entitled to apply for a school of choice, either within another division, or outside your school's division altogether.  You are also entitled to homeschool your child if you feel this is in their best interest.  Remember, your child's mental health and psychological well-being are more important than academic achievement.  Students can catch up on missed work, but the psychological impact of being mistreated in school can be much more significant.  

Keep Calm and Advocate On

With all that said, sometimes teachers don't have the time, support, resources, or experience to provide the support needed.  This may not be their fault, they may need more support from their school leadership, from their resource and guidance departments, or from their division.  Education in Manitoba (and in Canada) is sorely under-funded, so resources are always stretched thin.  In fact, teachers may be playing the part of a professional when they ask for your patience, but inside they may be nearly as frustrated as you are.  Most educators wish they had unlimited resources so they could pull out all the stops for every single student in every single class.  

Especially at this time when they are already stressed due to Coronavirus concerns, teachers are overwhelmed and overworked.  Please be compassionate toward yourself, your child, and their school support team.   

When you feel yourself getting heated, save that email in your drafts folder and come back to it after at least 24 hours, or send it to yourself or a close friend first.  Seek advice from an unbiased person you trust, seek support from your co-parent and/or close friends and vent to them first, rather than in an email to the school.  Remember that it is in the best interest of your child to get along with their school, so do your very best to communicate in a calm, respectful, and cooperative manner.  This may not always be easy, so seek support when you need it.  

This process can be incredibly long, stressful, arduous, and taxing.  And while all of these meetings and formal disputes are happening, children are still suffering and not receiving the support they need.  So in the mean time, parents may choose to homeschool, or move their child to a different school that may be better equipped to meet their needs.  

Parents & caregivers:  Find a support network.  Find one now and lean on them.  Whether it be other families who have children with disabilities, trusted neighbours, close friends, family members, whomever.  Don't forget to take care of yourself.  This system was designed for "typical" students and is not set up for those outside the "norm".  There have been small steps toward improvement over the past decade, but progress is very slow and change takes too long, so gather your village and support each other because we are better parents and advocates when we are in a good place ourselves.  Be kind to yourselves and to each other.  

Plan for The Future 

As your child grows older, and as is developmentally appropriate, they will need to develop self-advocacy skills in order to speak up for themselves.  

Developing these skills begins with understanding their own neurodiversity, how it impacts them, what their strengths are, and what specific supports they find helpful.  This way they know what to ask for when they do need help.  

As they mature, our children will need to learn how to advocate for themselves in a respectful yet confident way.  This means learning what their rights are, standing up for them, yet taking personal responsibility where appropriate.  It's a difficult balance that most of us are still working on as adults, but these skills will be very important for our children in their future endeavours.  

Please visit our website for a list of ADHD Resources available in Manitoba.  

If you need assistance advocating for your child, contact us and we can recommend and provide resources or arrange services.  

Children with Disabilities are NOT an Afterthought

September 15, 2020 update:  Karen Sharma, Executive Director of The Manitoba Human Rights Commission, has written and shared an open letter to Kelvin Goertzen, Minister of Education in Manitoba.  

This letter outlines the rights of students with disabilities as they relate to Covid-19 while in class, hybrid and/or distance learning, and ensuring accommodations are being met wherever and however students may be learning.  

Originally posted on August 29, 2020

Children with disabilities can not, should not, and will not be an afterthought

With schools and divisions working very hard to prepare for a return to classes this Fall amidst Coronavirus concerns, individuals and budgets are stretched to their limits.  This is an unprecedented time, and no doubt very stressful for many parents, children, and education staff.  

This blog post is not in any way intended as a knock on teachers, who are doing the very best they can with paltry budgets, very limited resources, and poor government support.  

This issue is much larger, and stems from a lack of provincial funding for education in Manitoba, and in Canada.  

On August 24, 2020, the Province of Manitoba announced an "additional" (so-called additional, not but not really, and I'll explain why...) $52 million in funding to "focus on putting in place the public health measures needed to keep students and staff as safe as possible while learning."  

So, why is this not really and truly additional funding?  Because the money is not presently in the pockets of the school divisions.  It is funding that is earmarked for schools, but each school has to apply for grants, prove and explain why they need the funding, and then cross their fingers and hope they get it...  eventually.  

This does not help schools now, when they desperately need it the most.  Parents are, understandably, asking schools a million and one questions and unfortunately schools don't have the answers because the province haven't given them enough information.  Parents, teachers, and students need plans right now, not in a few months' time, and they can't plan for funding they don't yet have and may not receive.  

How can parents possibly send their children to school when they don't know what it's going to look like?  

And here's the kicker: If parents of children with special needs don't want to send their children back to school yet, because they feel the school is unprepared, or they don't have enough information to feel confident in sending them, and decide to homeschool them?  Well, then the school loses the funding for that child, because they're not registered and in class.  So, if and when that student is ready to return, their school will have to re-apply and wait for their funding all over again.  It's a catch-22, it's not fair, and it disproportionately impacts children with special needs and their families.  

This isn't supposed to happen.  Legally, this isn't even allowed to happen.  

There have been Supreme Court Decisions (Moore vs. B.C., 2012), as well as the United Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, that have decreed this should not, and legally cannot, happen.  A fantastic summary on the implications of these is available on the Inclusive Education Canada website.  

Key points from this article include:

• “adequate special education is not “a dispensable luxury.”
• “human rights law requires education providers to make their services accessible to persons with disabilities."
• "the CRPD prohibits discrimination against children with disabilities and mandates the right to inclusive education."

Most relevant to our current situation is this: 

"School districts in Canada must take a proactive approach to budgeting and programming, to ensure that the rights of students with disabilities to accommodation are taken into account. Appropriate budgeting by provincial governments is also crucial. School districts make program choices within budgetary envelopes determined by provincial governments. Children and families must be ensured of their right to the benefits of public education in an inclusive community or neighbourhood school."

Note the word proactive.  Children with disabilities are not, should not, and can not be an afterthought.  Both provincial and divisional budgeting must include their needs, schools must be considerate of these needs when planning for our return to school next week.  

Manitoba's stated philosophy of inclusion falls far short of this and is very weak in comparison to the statements made in the CRPD.  

I understand that this is an incredibly challenging and unprecedented situation. However, that is even more true for persons with disabilities and their families, so the coronavirus is no excuse to continue putting their needs on the back-burner.  

Children with disabilities deserve, need, and must be treated as equally valuable and important members of their communities, including their school community.  They have every right to appropriate access to education, and parents are exhausted and tired of having to fight for this every step of the way. It's long past time for our provincial government and school divisions to step up and carry more of this responsibility, because parents and families cannot do it alone, and children should not continue to suffer due to poor funding and poor planning.  

If you need help advocating for your child, ensure you have done the following: 

1. Contact your school's principal, in writing.  If you speak on the phone or in person, take notes and follow up with an email summarizing your conversation so that you have documentation of the communication. 
2. If you have a school support team, you may seek their input as well.  This may include a school psychologist, resource teacher, guidance counsellor, or social worker.  
3. If you are not satisfied, contact the principal's next-in-charge.  For some divisions this is a Director of Student Services.  
4. If you are not satisfied, contact your division's Assistant Superintendent.  
5. If you are not satisfied, contact your division's Superintendent.  If you have been in contact with other divisional senior administration, it is likely they will have been aware of your concerns.  

On the Manitoba Education website, they have a formal dispute resolution protocol listed.  This may look slightly different for each division.  In our experience, these are the next steps to take:  

1. Parents have the right to hire or contact an advocate.  This can be a private advocate the family hires on their child's behalf, or a non-profit organization that can assist.  The Manitoba Advocate also plays a role in advocating for children in the public education system.  
2. If you are not satisfied, you can then file a formal complaint with your division's board of trustees.  Each division has a different board of trustees which should be listed on your school division's website.  
3. If no resolution can be found at this level, families can contact the Inclusion Support Branch of Manitoba's Department of Education.  
4. Finally, if none of these processes brings about a satisfactory resolution, families can bring their concerns right to the Minister of Education.  A Minister of Education is an elected Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) who is then appointed a portfolio based on their qualifications and experience, such as the ministry of education and training.  They are your representative at the Provincial level.  

This process can be incredibly long, stressful, arduous, and taxing.  And while all of these meetings and formal disputes are happening, children are still suffering and not receiving the support they need.  So in the mean time, parents may choose to homeschool, or move their child to a different school that may be better equipped to meet their needs.  

Parents & caregivers:    Find a support network.  Find one now and lean on them.  Whether it be other families who have children with disabilities, trusted neighbours, close friends, family members, whomever.  Don't forget to take care of yourself.  This system was designed for "typical" students and is not set up for those outside the "norm".  There have been small steps toward improvement over the past decade, but progress is slow and change takes too long, so gather your village and support each other because we are better parents and advocates when we ourselves are in a good place.  

Be kind to yourself and to each other, we're in this together.  

If you need assistance advocating for your child, contact us and we can recommend and provide resources, arrange services, or provide referrals.  

About the Author

Jillian is an ADHD 2e Coach and Child Advocate in Manitoba, Canada.

Jillian has a diploma in Child & Youth Work and a Degree in Psychology, as well as being the parent of an amazing 2e/ADHD child.

Visit ADHDPro.ca and Facebook.com/ADHD2ePro to learn more.

September 15, 2020 update:  Karen Sharma, Executive Director of The Manitoba Human Rights Commission, has written and shared an open letter to Kelvin Goertzen, Minister of Education in Manitoba.  This letter outlines the rights of students with disabilities as they relate to Covid-19 while in class, hybrid and/or distance learning, and ensuring accommodations are being met wherever and however students may be learning.