Links & information on provincial funding- DSP, Autism funding, APSEA

Another great online chat the other night!! Thought I would post a few links that we had talked about, just to make sure everyone has the information, if you are not already receiving these, please check them out. 


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Disability Support Program (DSP)

Disability Support Program

The Disability Support Program (DSP) is the first program in Canada to distinguish disability-specific support from income support. The purpose of DSP is to assist with personal planning and to help meet the needs related to an individual's disability. These supports are needs-based, and they are not intended to provide income. For more information, see the Disability Support Program Policy Manual.

Supports are provided in three main areas: child disability supports, adult disability supports, and employment and vocational supports.

Supports can take a number of different forms, including support for respite care, community living and community participation supports, technical aids and other devices and family support programs.

If you are not currently receiving DSP support, contact one of the offices in your area, and make an appointment to apply.

Charlottetown	Summerside	Montague	O'Leary	Souris
368-5996	432-2740	838-0190	859-8824	687-7016

Here's the link for more info:
http://www.gov.pe.ca/sss/disabilitysupports


Here is the link to the actual DSP handbook, it explains who qualifies, what it covers, and how to apply, as well as what to expect at the first appointment. Have a look. 
http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/hss_dis_sup_h.pdf

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Autism funding that can happen for Preschoolers/ and school aged children 



The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (herein referred to as ‘the Department’) provides two different types of funding to support children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Preschool Autism Funding is provided for parents or licensed early childhood centres to help with the employment of an Autism Assistant for preschool children with Autism who receive Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) through the Early Years Autism Service.

School-age Autism Funding is provided for home or community-based supports outside of school hours for school-age children with Autism. The funding can be used by parents or designated agencies to offset the costs of employing a) a one-to-one tutor in the home to supplement the child’s school program and minimize regression of academic and social skills during school breaks and summer months, or b) a one-to-one aide for group activities in the community, when an aide is required to enable participation.


For more information, please contact: Autism Funding Administrator Department of Education and Early Childhood Development Holman Centre, 250 Water Street, Suite 101 Summerside, PE C1N 1B6 Telephone: (902) 438-4854 Toll-free: 1-888-482-5330 Facsimile: (902) 438-4874 Email: autismfunding@gov.pe.ca

Here is the link to the Autism funding guidelines, it explains how it works, and how to apply, depending on your child's age- whether they are preschoolers or school aged.
http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/EECD_autismfund.pdf

http://www.gov.pe.ca/eecd/autismservices

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APSEA, was also discussed, so wanted to put that information on here.

Services for Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired

The PEI Department of Education and Early Childhood Development supports the philosophy of inclusion of students who are blind or visually impaired with their peers who are sighted in their community schools.

Services provided through the inter-provincial agency, APSEA, the Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority, make it possible for each child to receive an appropriate educational program designed to meet the student's individual needs and assist schools in providing the necessary adaptations required by the student.

A student who is diagnosed legally blind or partially sighted by a medical practitioner or optometrist is eligible for APSEA service. Legally blind is defined as having a corrected visual acuity of 6/60, (20/200), or less in the better eye, or a visual field of no more than 20 degrees. Partially sighted is defined as having a corrected acuity of 6/24, (20/70) or less in the better eye.

In Prince Edward Island, APSEA staff include itinerant teachers who offer direct support to students in inclusive settings, a preschool specialist, an orientation and mobility instructor who monitors travel training in the province, and a transition facilitator who assists students and families in the transition from school to adult life.

The majority of these services are provided to students in their local communities, however, requests can be made for 'Center Based Services' which may include short term programming and/or assessment at the APSEA Center in Halifax.

For further information, please contact: 

Myretta Farrell,
PEI Provincial Supervisor for Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired, APSEA
c/o Itinerant Services,
3 Brighton Road
Charlottetown, PEI
C1A 8T6
Phone: 902-368-4694
Fax: 902-620-3973
Email: mpfarrell@edu.pe.ca

 http://www.gov.pe.ca/eecd/index.php3?number=1027837&lang=E

Disability Issues Election Debate: Tuesday, September 29th 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. EST. -live stream, please join us.

A Disability Issues Election Debate will be held Tomorrow:

Tuesday, September 29th 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. EST. 

Watch the live stream 

at: https://ryecast.ryerson.ca/72/live/1173.aspx

• English will be the spoken language.
• ASL and captioning will be provided. 
• This debate has been organized by a group of national, provincial and local disability organizations in Toronto.
• Please share this widely so that people with disabilities in all corners of Canada can take advantage of this opportunity to watch the debate.

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10 sensory hacks for the fidgety child

Great tips and Ideas from Lemon Lime website. There are also links at the bottom of the article to direct you to other 'sensory hacks' that may be useful. Many of these are so easy to do, inexpensive, and will really work well. The feet ones are awesome.Bands work really well. I love the pool noodle idea. Check it out, would be great to implement at home, daycare, school. I have a  number of fidget toys for hands in my purse & car, that both my boys enjoy. They work, try out some and see what 'fits' for you and yours. Enjoy the day!!

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Do you know a child who seems to always have something in their hands? They’re always touching something? Does this child seem to need extra help staying focused during activities? If so, I think I have some sensory hacks to help you focus any fidgety child. To celebrate the launch of Project Sensory, I thought it would be really helpful to do a mini-series of Sensory Hacks that could be used to help with many of the difficult behaviors that are often linked to sensory needs. A couple weeks ago, I shared some sensory hacks for the angry child, which continues to be extremely popular. I hope you like these ideas just as much!

When I was in the classroom, I always had those kids! You know the ones. They touch everything. While I was teaching they would tie and untie their shoes 15 times, or tug on the little girls hair that sat in front of them. Better yet, some of them would tap their pencils while the rest of the class was diligently working.

At home, its not different. My oldest son (9) has to have something in his hands at  all times. He needs to pull, stretch, squeeze and move his fingers at all times. If he is not fidgeting his fingers, they go straight to his mouth. That’s why over the last few years I have made it a  point to find and collect simple, easy to make sensory hacks for a fidgety child.

Sensory Hacks for Fidgety Fingers

If you have a fidgety kid, you might have already researched the best fidgets on the market. You might have even purchased a few that you love. I know we have this hand fidget and we love it and take it everywhere. However, sometimes you need something that doesn’t cost money. You need something that doesn’t matter if your kiddo loses it (because you are quite sure they will), and you need more than one thing!

Use Nuts and Bolts to make a simple hand fidget kids can keep in their pockets or at their desks.

Even the most novice seamstress can whip up a simple Fabric Maze using just a little bit of fleece and a marble!

I know we have our fair share of Dollar Store sensory balls, but what about making your very own Sensory Balls?

Have you ever thought of making Hand Fidgets out of pipe cleaners? Yes they can be that easy!

I absolutely love the simplicity of this Shredded Paper Ball.

Bead Slides  are great for fidgety fingers during read-alouds and under the desk during instruction.

When I was in the classroom, we used to add Velcro Strips under the table and on the chairs to help with the need to touch!

We have recently started using a drop of Peace and Calming essential oil before any seated work.

Sensory Hacks for Fidgety Feet

Add bands on the bottom of chairs with bungee cords for kids to have something to fidget their feet on.

Don’t have those on hand, you can even use old bicycle tube , with balls, or a therapy band.

When I went to a friends classroom, I saw that she had added a pool noodle to the bottom of the chair with a rope and I thought it was a brilliant way to get those wiggles out while sitting.

More Sensory Resources For Kids that Fidget

Are you still looking for more resources to help with your fidgeter? Knowing and understanding the why behind the fidgeting is KEY in helping your child! I highly recommend the following links and resources to help you find answers and solutions! Remember, there are usually many reasons a child fidgets and understanding those signals and reasons is incredibly important.

5 Ways to Teach a Kid that Fidgets | Lemon Lime Adventures
What is a Fidget Toy | Inspired Treehouse
The Real Reason Kids Fidget | Timbernook

here's the link:
http://lemonlimeadventures.com/sensory-hacks-focus-fidgety-child/

Identifying and Expressing Feelings

Awesome site on identifying and expressing feelings, I have shared a few here, in the blog, but there are many on the site, please check out the link, its got great resources, videos, explanations, and downloadable worksheets. Super opportunities when trying to teach kids how to recognize their feelings and be able to pair situations to that emotion. Great job 'Elementary School Counseling'!!


http://www.elementaryschoolcounseling.org/identifying-and-expressing-feelings.html

This is a fun game to practice the 4 main feelings: Happy, Sad, Mad, and Scared/Surprised. Describe a situation and students (in small groups) need to toss a ball in the appropriate feeling bucket. For example, "Mrs. Rex came to school and forgot her homework." Students could toss their ball in the sad bucket, while others may choose mad or scared. This provides great class discussions on feelings.
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In this video, Elmo and Seth Rogen talk about the word "embarrassed" and how that feeling can affect us. It's a short, easy way to introduce a complicated emotion to young children. 

Mark Ruffalo and Murray talk about the word "Empathy".




Feelings Blob:

Students receive a paper with paint splotches all over it. There is a downloadable version available on the site.Then, they have to create feelings faces on the blobs, making what they feel are the best matches; there are no right or wrong answers. Students simply need to be able to explain their choices. This is a good activity for all settings (individual, small group, or classroom).

13 Helpful Phrases You Can Say to Calm an Anxious Child

What a great article, with some super suggestions to help address anxiety and help teach our kids methods to adjust. 

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It’s time for school. The bus will arrive any minute. Maybe today will be the day!

But then you hear it: “Mom, I don’t want to go to school.”

Your heart sinks. Here we go again. Every day it’s the same conversation. The same conversation that usually ends up in tears, missing the bus and late for school again.

“You’ll be fine, honey!” you say cheerfully. “There’s nothing to worry about!”

But your words fall on deaf ears. Your child is fully convinced that everything will NOT be ok and that there are PLENTY of things to worry about. Sighing, you sit down on the couch, wracking your brain for something more helpful to say.

If your child struggles with anxiety, you know the challenge of finding the right things to say when he or she is worried. It’s not easy to connect without making the fears worse, while at the same time offering support and encouragement.

Are you curious how you can help calm an anxious child? Rather than telling your child “You’ll be fine,” or “Don’t worry about it,” try one of these phrases the next time your child is feeling worried:

What to Say to Calm an Anxious Child

• “I am here; you are safe.” Anxiety has a way of making things look worse and feel scarier than when we are not feeling worried. These words can offer comfort and safety when your child is feeling out of control, especially if they are at the height of their worry. If you’re not sure what to say, this is an excellent go-to phrase!

• “Tell me about it.” Give your child room to talk about their fears without interrupting. Some children need to have time to process through their thoughts. Do not offer solutions or try to fix it. Children sometimes do better with a set amount of time: “Let’s talk about your worries for 10 minutes.”

• “How big is your worry?” Help your child verbalize the size of their worry and give you an accurate picture of how it feels to them. They can represent their worry by using arm length (hands close together or arms stretched wide apart) or by drawing three circles on a paper (small, medium and large) and choosing the one that applies.

• “What do you want to tell your worry?” Explain to your child that worry is like an annoying “worry bug” that hangs around telling them to be worried. Create a few phrases, then give them permission to talk back to this “worry bug.” They can even be bossy: “Go away!” or “I don’t have to listen to you!” Use silly voices, and try it loud and quiet.

• “Can you draw it?” Many kids cannot express their emotions with words. Encourage them to draw, paint or create their worries on paper. When they are finished, make observations, and give them a chance to explain the significance: “That’s a lot of blue!”

• “Let’s change the ending.” Anxious children often feel stuck in the same pattern without a way out. Help them see different options by telling their story, but leaving off the ending. Then, create a few new endings. Some can be silly, but at least one should be realistic for your child. Focus on your child conquering their fears with confidence!

• “What other things do you know about (fill in the blank)?” Some children feel empowered when they have more information about their fear (especially things like tornadoes, bees, elevators, etc.). Grab a book from the library, do a science experiment, research together online: How often does your fear happen? How do people stay safe?

• “Which calming strategy do you want to use?” Work proactively to create a long list of calming strategies your child enjoys. Practice them during the day, at random times when your child feels calm. When your child feels a worry sneaking into their thoughts, encourage them to pick something from the list.

• “I’m going to take a deep breath.” Sometimes our children are so worried that they resist our encouragement to pick a calming strategy. In this case, use yourself as the calming skill! Verbalize what you are doing and how it makes you feel. Some people hold their children close so they can feel the rise and fall of their chest as they breathe.

• “It’s scary AND…” Acknowledge your child’s fear without making it even more frightening by using the word “AND.” After the word “and” you can add phrases like, “You are safe.” or “You’ve conquered this fear before.” or “You have a plan.” This models an internal dialogue your child can use next time they are feeling worried.

• “I can’t wait to hear about…” It’s hard to see our kids suffer with worry. Many parents rush in to rescue their child from an anxiety-producing situation. Encourage your child that they will survive this difficult feeling by bringing up a topic to talk about when you’re together later — what they did at recess, who they sat by at lunch, etc.

• “What do you need from me?” Instead of assuming that you know what your child needs, give them an opportunity to tell you what would help. Older kids may be able to verbalize if they need you to listen, give a hug, or help them find a solution. If you can’t do it, give them their wish in fantasy: “I wish grown ups could go to kindergarten too!”

• “This feeling will pass.” This may be a phrase you can both use when your child is at the height of panic. All feelings pass eventually. It often feels like they will never end, you won’t make it through, or it’s too hard. And that’s OK. Don’t let your brain get stuck in that moment; focus on the relief that is on the horizon.

Anxiety and worry look different for every child. Not every one of these strategies will work for your kids. You are the expert on your child. If you try something and it makes their worries worse, don’t panic. Just pick something else from the list to try next time. Eventually, you will find a few phrases that are effective for sending a calm, encouraging and empowering message to your child.

When My Worries Get too Big is a great addition to add to any library if you have a child who worries or is anxious. Engaging and easy to read, this illustrated children s book is filled with opportunities for children to participate in developing their own self-calming strategies. Children who use the simple strategies in this charming book, illustrated by the author, will find themselves relaxed and ready to focus on work or play!

Here's the link to the site:

http://lemonlimeadventures.com/what-to-say-to-calm-an-anxious-child/