[Darlene Pugsley]

I was just at a conference where they used a book, Teaching Children with
Autism to Mindread: A Practical Guide for Teachers and Parents. There were
good, reproducible drawings of people in different situations whose faces
were missing their features- you draw in the expression for the emotion you
think the person is feeling. Maybe someone around has a copy you could
borrow?

Darlene
—– Original Message —–
From: "FeatBC Discussion Board" ;
To: ;
Sent: November 19, 2001 2:14 PM
Subject: Room Two: Behavioural Treatment Topics

> ————————————————————
> FeatBC Discussion Board: Room Two: Behavioural Treatment
> Topics
> ————————————————————
>
> By Peggy Boon (Boon) on Monday, November 19, 2001 – 02:12
> pm:
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions as to where we might
> locate some teaching materials on advanced emotions
> (disappointed, nervous, frustrated, etc.)…in particular
> children's books, workbooks, games. Thanks.

[Darlene Pugsley]

Ask if they have a "special skills" clause. Here in NB, if a child is deaf
for example, they can require that the teacher's aide know how to sign. If
the child has a heart condition, they can require that the TA know CPR.
According to the union contract (from what I'm told) once the special skills
demand is made, the TA has sixty days to obtain the training or the school
district can find someone else who does.

I would think, with the Eldridge case in BC, that you could use the
communication disorder part of the autism diagnosis to good effect.
Education is supposed to be as universally available as medical services

Good luck.

Darlene
—– Original Message —–
From: "FeatBC Discussion Board" ;
To: ;
Sent: November 13, 2001 3:52 PM
Subject: Room Four: School Related Topics

> ————————————————————
> FeatBC Discussion Board: Room Four: School Related Topics
> ————————————————————
>
> By Cory McLaughlin (Mclaughlin) on Tuesday, November 13,
> 2001 – 03:50 pm:
>
> Hi – we need some help! Our son, Liam,
> entered kindergarten in September. We
> began asking for an ABA SEA last May and
> here we are in November, no closer but much
> more frustrated. We've been trying to work
> with Liam's school district (36 – Surrey) to
> secure a properly trained ABA SEA. Yes, they
> do exist but CUPE maintains that seniority is
> more important than the education of a child.
> We've reached the point of no return and are in
> the beginning stages of legal action. If any of
> you have successfully manoeuvred the school
> system by either threatening legal action or
> actually having to go further could you please
> contact me at 604-576-0420 or at
> gmclaug@intou
> ch.bc.ca. The great irony here
> is that both Gary and I are teachers in Surrey
> and have had access to everyone possible in
> order to state Liam's case. It just keeps
> coming back to CUPE. I'd really appreciate
> hearing from anyone with info. Thanks.

[Darlene Pugsley]

Thank you for the responses to my questions. I'm just back from four days in Ottawa at Autism Society Canada, and with the background from FEATBC and after listening to what's happening in Ontario and in Quebec, it has been much easier to start to understand the big picture. Individualized funding seems the only way to safeguard the right to effective treatment, though options including the role of gov't funded centres and/or gov't paid, properly paid trained casemanagers seems intriguing too.

Now, to shovel a path through the kitchen…
Thanks again,
Darlene Pugsley, ASNB

[Darlene Pugsley]

Hello everyone;

Thank you so much for contributing to this discussion. I'm trying to understand what's happening in BC from the other side of the country, and to learn from what you're going through. I have a few questions- please be patient- we have been trying here to get the government to voluntarily fund intensive ABA for three years now, with no success.

It's pretty clear that the majority of informed parents prefer individualized funding to the government's EIBI program. I have the utmost respect for your expertise, and if that's what you're advocating for then I have no doubt that that is what would provide the most benefit for your children.

Respectfully, I have a few questions about why you have come to that decision. Again, I'm trying to understand from here in New Brunswick, and don't have all the background.

To me, the dream would be to have excellent centres funded by the government. A PCDI, a Bancroft, a May Centre here and there, with billing numbers kind of like a pediatric clinic- within reason, if you have a problem with one, you go to another.

Another question- there's no doubt that parents know which program is working best for their child, and can judge quality by the results- every parent I know is by far the most sensitive judge of their child's progress. But- if you have never had a good quality program, it seems like it would be easy to think that because it is better than anything you've seen so far, that it is good. What's the best way to monitor this?

As far as the ASBC employee not telling parents about ABA because "parents can't afford it", that is absolutely unethical.

And the MCFD claiming that 50% of families don't want ABA? We've heard that same claim here in N.B. I'd like to know where they get their figures. Are they counting the parents of 50 year olds? Are they counting the number of parents who maybe hesitate to file bankruptcy trying to pay for it themselves, but who would want an intensive program if it were funded? Why don't they check areas where a good program is available, and see how many are refusing it?

To be radical- what if 50% of parents didn't want to send their children to school, but wanted them to work instead? Or, from a medical perspective, what if 50% of parents who had a child with any other medical condition didn't want to use scientifically validated medical treatment? Would that be reason to withhold it from those who do?

One last request for clarification- while it is important for parents to be able to ensure a high quality therapy program, I worry that "giving the parents the right" is sometimes taken to a higher level and becomes "giving the parents the responsibility". I hope I'm phrasing this right, because I don't mean this in an argumentative way at all- but I've seen parents who have great difficulty even acting as case manager, especially those in more isolated areas of the province who have little support or those with health issues of their own. If parents aren't able to figure out how to get a program up and running, and submit receipts, and monitor the quality…what would be the best way to ensure the children receive the treatment that they are entitled to?

Thanks for your patience,

Darlene Pugsley
president, Autism Society New Brunswick

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