Parents of Deaf-Plus Ontarians
Our Activities
Some of the activities of PODPO throughout the last several years to date has been :
- advocating to Ministry of Community and Social Services- Developmental Services, various branches of the Ministry, policy analysts , advisory groups etc. for the recognition of the needs of this group of individuals and to bring attention to the present lack of proper existing services and the need to develop services. (i.e. transitional services from high school into community, day programs, work options)
- We were involved in the advisory group in Halton-Peel-Dufferin region in advocating for a need for the PAH! Program. (The mental health program for the deaf children and youth)
- We supported the commencing of the weekend parent relief program, through the Bob Rumball Association for the Deaf which has been running successfully for the last several years.
- We hold an annual BBQ picnic jointly with the Bob Rumball Association for the Deaf every year in the month of June, in the Milton area where families meet and socialize.
- We are involved in the Provincial Schools for the Deaf School Councils as well as the advisory council of the Provincial and Demonstration Schools (all Provincial Schools in Ontario) advocating for quality and the proper programs and support for the deaf plus students
- For a number of years a discriminatory Admission Policy was adopted by the Provincial Schools for the Deaf where deaf children with severe Autism Spectrum Disorder were rejected from admission and others with developmental delay were admitted on a temporary basis under the new "diagnostic admission" policy -PODPO took a firm stand and protested these policies. Some of the actions taken to date by PODPO has been requesting to discuss these policies with the Minister of Education, the Assistant Deputy Minister and the School Authorities.
- Holding a series of discussions with the Provincial School Authorities to clarify our stand against such discriminatory policies towards deaf plus children and to point out the importance of a signing environment in developing communication skills and inclusion of the deaf plus in deaf education programs with the proper support.
- These discussion have led us to develop an educational proposal for the deaf plus students which we feel would clarify their educational needs and assist the Provincial School Authorities and the Ministry to develop an inclusive education program for deaf plus children.
- PODPO protested the discriminatory policies by participating in the presentation to the Human Rights Commission's recent investigations into Disability and Education as well as the Ontario Disability Act council, the recent Education Equality Task Force, the opposition party's education policy critiques.
- The Provincial School authorities have withdrawn the discriminatory caviat from the admission policy. All new admission cases are reviewed by the admission team and decisions are made by them. The superindentent of the schools has the final authority on the admissions.
- At present there is a positive atmosphere at the Provincial Schools for the deaf towards students with disability. Many students with severe developmental delay or autism have been admitted. PODPO is in communication with the school authorities and we are assured that students with severe developmental delay or autism will not be excluded because of their disability.
- We hope this inclusive policy will be followed by all school boards as well across Ontario. Our children have suffered enough by being removed from one school to another and one program to another due to lack of understanding of their disability, educational needs and proper teaching methods and trained teachers in special education.
Created: 11/5/02 Updated: 11/6/02