[Graham Egli]

First a thank you to Joyce for all the great info recently.
Second I contacted my sons social worker and requested info re: funding both retro and forward and referred to the Anderson judgement. He in turn replied that he had passed my request onto his supervisor for handling. I will keep you all posted as things develop.

Graham
Thor's Dad

[Graham Egli]

RE: above post from Jeremy's Mom:
Yes, it is true the "new" money announced recently is really a cut in funding to $500. a month. Anyone now being funded will have their current funding stopped the month your child turns 6. The government has decided after 6 years of age that ABA is not very effective. We on the other hand read the same studies they did and deduce that ABA up to 6 is most effective. A big difference in perspective.

In any event, yes, funding has been cut. What people will do to maintain their current therapy sessions which are based on current funding, once this is cut I do not know.

I do know not enough political action is being undertaken by our community. We need a two pronged appraoch – ONE – pressure government until they provide full funding from diagnosis through recovery for ABA programs through a supplier of each parents choice. And TWO a full scale assault on the piblic school boards to force them to provide medically required Lovaas ABA educational processes in the classroom, to be delivered by a member of the home team. These two issues are critical to the recovery of our children.

Perhaps FEAT could initiate a class action against the government. Also a class action against the school boards who are even more against ABA in the classroom and by their decisions not to supply ABA are permanently affecting our childrens chance of recovery every day they hold out.

Does FEAT have a group that we can all rally with to get these two issues going?

Graham
Thor's DAD

[Graham Egli]

Please advise how I may obtain the FEAT list of consultants/therapists that support ABA lovaas therapy. I have looked at the FEAT website but see no link to this list.

I contacted the BC Autism society but they gave me a list of many that do not support Lovaas ABA.

Thanks.

[Graham Egli]

As a parent of an autistic child who has been attempting to obtain my child's "medically required and prescibed" ABA educational process within the kindergarten class for the past year now, I offer the following insights regarding the Vancouver School Board.

First surprise, surprise – under current legislation and various union agreements etc. the parent has only one right – that is to be consulted regarding their child's education. That is it, period.

The teacher has the legal right to direct the class (including any SEA.

The principal under BC set-up is really an administrator with no power to direct the teacher as to supplying ABA in the class.

The board staff are either afraid of upsetting the teachers union or are highly sympathetic to them. In either case the board staff does not have your child's interest at its heart.

The Vancouver School Board has no pool of qualified ABA trained teachers to provide students requireing them.

The union has no program in place that will provide these qualified educators in the future.

The parent elected trustees are merely puppets with their strings pulled by the board staff which as we have seen above act in favour of the union.

And when all else fails the teachers, principals, board staff and trustees all blame it on the government for not providing enough money.

Providing ABA is not a union issue.
Providing ABA can be funded under current funding.
PAC's are by definition, ineffective in the effort to provide ABA (in fact they are really only a fundraising committee for the various board employees – great at bake sales but not much else) It is the Parent ADVISORY Committee.
The only way we will obtain universal medically required ABA in classrooms in Vancouver School Board area is to elect new trustees that have the (pardon the politically incorrect phrase) BALLS to give the management of the schools back to the parents and start managing the board and it's staff. You parents pay all the salaries of all the teachers, SEA's, principals, board staff and trustees. They are hired by the government, on your behalf to provide you a service that you are legally entitled to. That being the appropriate education of your children.

I am seriously considering running for trustee in the next election. Please let me know if there is support within the community of parents with autistic children to try and turn things around.

[Graham Egli]

Hi,
You may email me at gegli@dragoncross.com

Also you may fax me at 604-263-6596

Thanks,

GRAHAM K. EGLI

Original post:
By Anonymous on Thursday, November 7, 2002 – 02:36 pm:

Dear Graham, if you post your email (and a fax # if you have one) I
would be happy to get you some info that should help. Unfortunately
I cannot discuss on this board.

Just another guy who has been there and who's child suffered that.

[Graham Egli]

I am a "guy" and I am asking for help, so you can see how serious I am. My son has autism. He is in kindergarten. There are several issues.

1) What is he entitled to under law?
2) What is role of IEP? And is their a standard protocol for same?
3) To whom does the school principal report?
4) What is legal role of SEA?

My son has a great teacher. My son also has in his class a SEA. We were under the impression that the SEA was there soley for our son and one on one education with our son. We recently attended a meeting to develop our sons EIP. It was attended by our few members of our ABA therapy team, ourselves, the Principal, Teacher, SEA and 4 or more Board specialists, consultants etc. The meeting was the worst I have ever attended in my life. The Principal chaired the meeting and suggested that the EIP was already written in her very general terms. The principal further stated that the SEA was not solely for our son, but to help the teacher with the whole class, and even then as to our son only to provide safety and only on a 50% of the time basis as that was all the funding the principal had. The principal further stated that if I had any issue with any of this to support the teachers union and get after the government for increased funding. The Principal then stated that as she had another meeting scheduled 1.5 hrs after ours started that our meeting would have to be reconvened at a later date. When I suggested this was not a great idea and that we could use another room in the school to continue, the Principal said there were no other rooms in the building! We ajourned shortly after with the teacher assigned the role to write up the IEP over the next couple weeks.

Some concerns I have are that the Principal stated that no time frames could be in the IEP as they could not commit to actually accomplishing any of the goals by any certain dates or even within the full kindergarten year.

Another is if the SEA is only for safety and only 50% of time who will ensure A) my son is safe the other 50% of the time he is in the schools care and custody and further if the SEA is only for safety who will deliver the special one on one education that the IEP will propose and that he medically requires? The school board as no one to put in the class, the principal will not allow the SEA to provide it, and the principal will not allow us to provide a member from our team to the class due to her concerns over the teachers union.

As every day counts for my son at this age, I need help in determining exactly what he should have under law and how I can ensure he gets it.

Any experience, ideas are appreciated. P.S. I must stress that both the teacher and SEA are very very interested in my sons education however are restrained by the rules as promulgated by the principal.

[Graham Egli]

I am a "guy" and I am asking for help, so you can see how serious I am. My son has autism. He is in kindergarten. There are several issues.

1) What is he entitled to under law?
2) What is role of IEP? And is their a standard protocol for same?
3) To whom does the school principal report?
4) What is legal role of SEA?

My son has a great teacher. My son also has in his class a SEA. We were under the impression that the SEA was there soley for our son and one on one education with our son. We recently attended a meeting to develop our sons EIP. It was attended by our few members of our ABA therapy team, ourselves, the Princopal, Teacher, SEA and 4 or more Board specialists, consultants etc. The meeting was the worst I have ever attended in my life. The Principal chaired the meeting and suggested that the EIP was already written in her very general terms. The principal further stated that the SEA was not solely for our son, but to help the teacher with the whole class, and even then as to our son only to provide safety and only on a 50% of the time basis as that was all the funding the principal had. The principal further stated that if I had any issue with any of this to support the teachers union and get after the government for increased funding. The Principal then stated that as she had another meeting scheduled 1.5 hrs after ours started that our meeting would have to be reconvened at a later date. When I suggested this was not a great idea and that we could use another room in the school to continue, the Principal said there were no other rooms in the building! We ajourned shortly after with the teacher assigned the role to write up the IEP over the next couple weeks.

Some concerns I have are that the Principal stated that no time frames could be in the IEP as they could not commit to actually accomplishing any of the goals by any certain dates or even within the full kindergarten year.

Another is if the SEA is only for safety and only 50% of time who will ensure A) my son is safe the other 50% of the time he is in the schools care and custody and further if the SEA is only for safety who will deliver the special one on one education that the IEP will propose and that he medically requires? The school board as no one to put in the class, the principal will not allow the SEA to provide it, and the principal will not allow us to provide a member from our team to the class due to her concerns over the teachers union.

As every day counts for my son at this age, I need help in determining exactly what he should have under law and how I can ensure he gets it.

Any experience, ideas are appreciated. P.S. I must stress that both the teacher and SEA are very very interested in my sons education however are restrained by the rules as promulageted by the principal.

[Graham Egli]

RE: Latest Ruling

As a parent of a child with autism I have a few questions regarding the recent ruling on BC government ABA funding.

1) Has FEAT submitted a formal response to the ruling along with an action plan and timetable?

2) Has anyone yet sued the government for the funding in light of the ruling?

3) If not is there a time period related to appeals etc that we must wait for? Or can we sue today and if so who do we sue?

4) Do we also include the school boards to ensure funding is made available for ABA therpists in public classes?

5) What has been the BC teachers postion now that government must fund ABA for all? Will they blanket permit our ABA therapists in the classes.

Any insight is appreciated.

[Graham Egli]

RE: Anon – Fri Jul 19th

To help you I offer the following comments:

I preface these by saying I am not a therapist or specialist or scientist only a parent of a child with autism.

1) Who helps best ? My experience has been that the Autistic Society was a bit helpful, FEAT very helpful, government (the previous one) totally useless. For example the previous gov't sent a speech therapist out once a month. This person never once conducted any speech therapy with my son during the visits, she merely chatted and conducted the odd assesment test. I also had a few meetings with my son's gov't set up "team". These consisted of several gov't people along with gov't hired consultant types who probably had good intentions but where pretty much totally ineffective and never productive. My advice use gov't if you have to, accept whatever aid they offer your child, be nice to them (they are basically good people) but do not really expect anything very exciting from them.

2) Funding. The current gov't is to be commended for the granted funding to age 7, a big step forward. Recognizing that the province is financially broke, I can understand the age 7 cut-off. They are trying to help as much as they can afford in areas they will get the best results. My understanding is that up to age 7 ABA gets better results than over age 7. Though ABA continues to help older children, and I am sure the gov't will eventually increase the funding for over 7 once they find the funds or the court orders it earlier than that. Also FEAT is to be congratulated for the efforts that resulted in the up to 7 funding. The best part is that you can spend the monies as your program requires and not only on gov't services. I am always upset to hear a child can not be treated because of funds and we must continue to work to ensure all children get funding.

3) Start your own program…while a true ABA program requires trained therapists, data collection etc. I beleive you can help your child in many other ways (though they will not be as effective as a real ABA program). These ways include simple conversation. Talk to your child constantly about anything, they do hear you and eventually you may be surprised at what they start talking back to you. Just talk to them as you go about your day, tell them what you are doing, watching, waiting for, where you are going, what time things will happen etc. Read to them daily, sit with them, hold them as you read. Point out things as you walk or drive by. Do the same looking out your windows at home or in your yard. Ask them what they see. Play with your child. It really helps. Direct them to appropriate play behaviour (cars driving, balls throwing or rolling etc.) Have them help in daily tasks, mixing food, washing or dusting. Show them how the TV remote works ( a harmless appliance that gives them a sense of some control over their environment) Use toy phones, pretend phone calls. Look at catalogues together, point to pictures say what they are in simple terms, eventually ask what the child thinks they are (boy, girl, cat, dog, etc.) Teach them to count on their fingers. Treat them to Mickey D's and have them choose from Hamburger or Chicken Nuggets etc. White milk or chocolate and so on. None of this makes a real ABA program, however all of these things will help your child a bit anyway.

Hope this helps.

Thor's Dad

[Graham Egli]

I have been trying to get the autism bc site for some time now. When I look for http://www.autismbc.ca I get a recruiting agency? Has anyone else had this problem, or do I have wrong address?

Thanks,
Graham
Thor's Dad

[Author]

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