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Children and Youth with Special Needs and Their Families: Framework for Action

Children and Youth with Special Needs and Their Families: Framework for Action. March 17, 2008. Ministry of Children & Family Development Ministry of Health Ministry of Education. Outline for today. Define “children and youth with special needs”

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Children and Youth with Special Needs and Their Families: Framework for Action

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  1. Children and Youth with Special Needs and Their Families:Framework for Action March 17, 2008 Ministry of Children & Family Development Ministry of Health Ministry of Education

  2. Outline for today • Define “children and youth with special needs” • Why do we need a new framework for action? • Where do we want to be? • How will we get there? • Your questions and comments!

  3. Who are Children and Youthwith Special Needs (CYSN)? Children and youth between birth and 19 years of age who require additional educational, medical/health and social/environmental support, beyond that required by children in general, to enhance or improve their health, development, quality of life, and community integration.

  4. Prevalence of CYSN Mental Health Conditions 15% All “Special Needs” 10 – 15% * • “Significant Special Needs”: • 5.65% (approximately 52,000 in BC) • Focus of this Framework for Action Specific Learning Disabilities 7% (5-17.5%) *The literature states that 10-15% of children have a special need which, in this definition, might mean that that child Has a disability or has a chronic health condition

  5. Why do we need a Framework for Action for CYSN?

  6. Services for Children With Special Needs • Over 90 identified programs delivered primarily by three ministries: • Ministry of Children & Family Development • Ministry of Education • Ministry of Health • Total spending over $525Million

  7. Service System Strengths Currently, there are positive aspects to the current system across the three sectors. These include: • Dedicated and skilled providers • Belief in supporting the child in the context of the family • Increased emphasis on strength-based models • New programs • Desire to work across regions and sectors in a collaborative manner

  8. Challenges Identified • Waits, Gaps and Overlaps • Multiple points of access, intakes, waits • Need better access to program information , and to providers • Limited service provider continuity over age ranges • Inconsistent Standards and Service Quality • Limited knowledge of effectiveness • Limited systematic evaluation of services • Inadequate sharing and use of new evidence • Need more research • Different quality standards across the sectors • Complex and Disjointed Service System • Parts of the service system have different mandates, values, priorities, definitions, funding models ….

  9. Where do we want to be? • Improved Access • The right services at the right time • Effective Services • High quality services with strong evaluation • Coherent Systems • Improved Integration and coordination

  10. How do we get there?

  11. Informed process • Reviewed the literature • Consulted with experts • Reviewed other jurisdictions • Limited consultation with families and providers

  12. A common vision… Services must be designed to meet a common vision: Optimal development, health, well-being and achievement for children and youth with special needs

  13. A common mission… • Services must deliver on the mission: • To promote and deliver accessible, quality intervention and support services for children and youth with special needs and their families through an integrated service delivery approach.

  14. Common values and guiding principles… • Integrated/ comprehensive • Child centred, family focused • Responsive to change • Fair and equitable • Culturally competent and safe • Accessible • Evaluated • Evidence-based • Functionally based • Sustainable

  15. Organizing Service Delivery

  16. Six Supporting Strategies for Action • Placing Children’s and Families’ Needs First: Functionally-based and accessible services • Supporting Our People: Training, recruitment and retention • Ensuring Quality and Performance: Improving quality measurement and accountability • Building and Using the Evidence Base: Promoting evaluation and research • Simplifying the Pathway to Services: Providers, agencies and ministries coordinating, collaborating and integrating more • Planning Together: Instituting a province-wide integrated planning mechanism

  17. Questions? Comments?Thank you

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