NDP: Ford must step up with more support for children with special needs during COVID-19

QUEEN’S PARK — NDP MPP Monique Taylor (Hamilton Mountain) tabled a motion in the Ontario legislature Tuesday urging the Ford government to implement a plan to meet the needs of children with special needs and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“For months, families have been struggling to support their children with special needs and parents are feeling isolated and burnt out.” said Taylor. “I have heard from many parents who fear that their children are regressing without access to therapy and mental health supports. We need a plan to resume these services, with COVID-19 precautions, to provide these children and their families the support they need.”

Taylor’s motion requests that the Ford government immediately implement a COVID-19 plan to meet the needs of children with special needs and their families with a sector wide strategy for reopening, including:

• Emergency respite services for families, with equitable access for Northern and rural communities
• Increased funding and shortened wait times for Special Services at Home (SSAH) reimbursements
• Fast-tracked development of the needs-based Ontario Autism Program
• Proactive and regular communication with families by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, which has been mostly silent throughout the pandemic
• Resources for schools and additional education assistant support this fall
• Personal protective equipment (PPE) for support workers

“So far, throughout this pandemic, Ford has failed to support children with special needs,” said Taylor. "We need this government finally stand up for these families and provide a real plan for providing services safely as Ontario reopens."