Since March of this year, families have had the challenge of providing education at home in a time of a pandemic. For families who have children with disabilities, this has been an even more challenging time, with many families seeing their regular, IEP-mandated supports stopped or dramatically changed. Families may have also seen differences in interactions with teachers and other school personnel. Now, as students begin to return to school in the fall, it is critically important for families to share their needs to support their child with a disability to be successful.

Researchers from Queen’s University have partnered with the Family Alliance of Ontario to develop a short online survey (approx. 20 minutes to complete) to gather family perspectives about partnership with teachers in a time of COVID-19. They are looking for volunteers to participate in this survey – you are eligible if you are a caregiver of a child with a disability who is in the Ontario K-12 public school system.

In order to capture experiences that will occur as students resume school in various formats this month, we have extended the window to complete this survey until September 30, 2020. Results will then be compiled and shared with families and school stakeholders (school boards and the provincial government) to help inform and improve partnership with families in the 2020/2021 school year.

In appreciation of your time, you will be entered into a draw to win one of thirty $15 Amazon.ca gift certificates.

Click on this link to learn more and participate.  https://gmucehd.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6PhSPzCtXdiCeFL

For more information about the survey, contact Heather Aldersey: hma@queensu.ca

Check out this timely child and youth well-being data released by the Children and Youth Planning Table Youth Impact Survey – Data Briefs surrounding mental and emotional health and belonging are now available.

The University of Waterloo is conducting as online study regarding a robot that facilitiates play between children regardless of special phyiscal needs. 

To get more information, click here.

The Centre of Family Medicine, Mobiliy Clinic and McMaster University are conducting a study for transitional youth with physical disabilities in Kitchener-Waterloo.

Youth individuals with special healthcare needs often lose the quality of care they received as children once they turn 18 years old and must transition to the adult healthcare system.

This study will assess the need for a local program that would aim to help youth individuals with physical disability make the transfer from specialized pediatric care to adult care.

Click here for study advertisment.

Click here for transitional alumnus consent.

Click here for youth & caregiver consent.

Click here for youth under 16 years old consent.

Information Gathering from those who have a Microboard, Aroha or Self-Directed Support Organization

Microboards Ontario provides leadership in the development of Microboards through education, advocacy and support to people and communities across Ontario. Our vision is that any person within Ontario who wants a Microboard is supported to have one.  

Currently, we are interested in finding out as much as we can about the experience of people with disabilities, their families and/or loved ones who have already established their own supportive not-for profit organization. This type of organization may be referred to as a Microboard, Aroha or Self-Directed Support Organization.

If you know someone in Ontario who has already created a Microboard, Aroha or Self-Directed Support Organization please pass this survey along by sending the link.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/?sm=qKW2b52U0sxY66hyAem8mHncEyFIlbZzAOAmpjz3ICo_3D

Note: This survey is completely anonymous. The data that we collect will inform our understanding and therefore Microboards Ontario’s strategic direction over the next few years.

If you are interested in having contact with Microboards Ontario for information and /or if you would like to share your story and insights with MBO, please contact us by emailing our Provincial Consultant, Judith McGill at jlmcgill11@gmail.com or calling at (416) 997-3311

Visit our website at www.microboardsontario.com.

 

It is based on a review of literature and was supported by a Faculty of Health Minor Research Grant.  

The project is a collaboration between the Office of Women's Mental Health Research in Mental Health (Dr. Nazilla Khanlou, Chair) and Nursing at the Centre for Addiction & Mental Health (Dr. Rani Srivastava, Chief of Nursing and Professional Practice at CAMH). 

Citation information:  Khanlou N, Khan A, Vazquez LM, Srivastava R, & Karunakaran A. (2019) 

Information Sheet 13: Nursing Care for People with Developmental Disabilities. Toronto: York University.  Available url:  https://nkhanlou.info.yorku.ca/files/2019/11/Final-Info-Sheet-Nursing-NKhanlou-Nov-2019.pdf

Not feeling yourself after having a baby? Since birth have you...

• been sad and tearful?
• felt overwhelmed or unable to concentrate?
• lost interest of pleasure?
• felt hopeless, frustrated, or angry?
• fely anxious?
• had difficulties connecting to your baby?

Our Place Family Resource and Early Years Centre is hosting a free one-day Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) workshop for postpartum depression. The workshops will be delivered by Dr. Ryan Van Lieshout, MD, PhD.

You may be eligible to participate in the workshop if you are 18 years of age or older and have given birth within the past 12 months.

The workshops are part of a study conducted by McMaster University.

To register for the workshop or to receive more information please contact the study coordinators, Meena Rangan and Haley Layton kw1daycbt@gmail.com.

Development, implementation, and evaluation of an internet-based behavioural sleep intervention study for children, ages 4-10, with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Cerebral Palsy (CP), and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).

Learn more about this opportunity here.

The Change Foundation is seeking caregivers to join their Caregiver Advisory Panel.

The caregivers on the panel are regularly asked for their input and thoughts on some of The Change Foundation’s caregiver-focused ideas, tools and products, and are surveyed on different aspects of the caregiving experience on a regular basis.

Learn more about this opportunity here.

Do you have a child between 8-13 years of age with Neurodevelopmental Disorders?

York University invites you to participate in a research study: Secret Agent Society: Operation Regulation –  Trasdiagnostic Trial.  
 
What is the research about?

This study is about a new program aimed at helping youth with neurodevelopmental disorders cope with their emotions and handle the day-to-day stressors in their lives using a variety of activities and tools, like an emotion focused computer game, cue cards, and parent and teacher handouts. 
 
What does participation involve?

Participating involves weekly 1-hour visits to York University where you and your child will meet with a trained therapist for one-on-one therapy. Your child will get to do an assortment of activities and play games (e.g., computer games, problem solving tasks, and role playing). The activities are aimed to help build emotion regulation skills. 
 
You and your child will also participate in research to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. 
 
There is no cost to the program, except for parking and travel to the university. 
 
I’m interested! What next?

For more information, please contact sasor@yorku.ca or Dr. Jonathan Weiss, Principal Investigator on the study, at jonweiss@yorku.ca. 
 
You can also visit the website at: http://ddmh.lab.yorku.ca/secret-agents-society-operation-regulation/ 
 
Limited space is available, so families will be contacted on a first come, first serve basis.