Greetings Mari,
I just wanted to say thank you for keeping the Blog updated and going and
share a few thoughts with you. I find it truly amazing that the Minister has
not yet reconsidered her decision after such clear evidence has been given
by such a wide assortment of specialists, researchers, consultants etc
citing the extreme importance of continuing to support a highly successful
early intervention international structure.
Something just doesn't seem right here. I wonder if it could be that the
Minister is not aware of who the experts in the Early Intervention field are
or understand the significance of what they are saying and the time they
took to acknowledge their concern to her.
The closing of the PRov Advisor's office has become an international
concern. It seems to be that further newspaper, TV news coverage is needed
especially to review the significance and content of the number of letters
from national and international leading experts in early intervention. The
letters mustn't be getting beyond the Minister's office and she obviously
does not have any idea of the structure she is demolishing so more public
awareness and pressure may be what's needed.
Do you know of any plans of the blog being shared with reporters, TV news,
etc? There is such value and conviction in the writers words that this
information should continue to be brought forward not quietly sit and wait.
I wonder if the letters could be published in the Vancouver Sun and/or other
papers.
Anyway, thanks for listening and if there is anything I can do to help
please let me know.
Jayne Dator-Freeman
Early Childhood Special Educator
CFAS, Sasebo, Japan
Monday, January 4, 2010
Monday, December 14, 2009
Thank you and Feliz Navidad!
I would like to thank al of you who have sent your comments, thoughts, letters and emails and contributed to this blog. I will be happy to continue to post your thoughts - please email partnershipsprogram@yahoo.com and subject :"for the blog" and I will post it asap, even during the holidays. It has been a difficult stretch. Let's not give up and continue to advocate so that the most vulnerable children and families in BC receive the services they deserve. Feliz Navidad!
Mari
Mari
Monday, December 7, 2009
2nd Letter to Premier-S. Stewart, Vancouver
Dear Premier Campbell December 3, 2009
I am writing to you to express my deep disappointment with the government in the closure of the provincial Infant Development Office and in the way it was handled. The decision itself is one thing. But even more concerning is the fact that every stakeholder involved in this issue wrote to your government: parents, children, researchers, academics, front line workers, doctors, other health care practitioners, international committees, etc. The blog http://partnerships2009.blogspot.com/ contains an extraordinarily impressive collection of letters from every stakeholder imaginable as well as from the international early intervention community. So many people involved with our most vulnerable children in their early intervention years on a day to day basis took the time to write and advocate in a reasoned and measured way and yet none of these voices have been listened to. I wrote to yourself and the Minister for Children and Family Development a few weeks ago and have not received a response from either office.
I completely understand fiscal restraint and the need to make changes in how we do things. I am also sure that you understand that people adapt to change much better when they have been consulted with, heard and if possible are involved with the changes. In this particular case the coordinator of the provincial Infant Development Office was essentially let go in a letter, after thirty four years in the job, on her first day back to work from treatments for cancer. All of the work of this office is to be taken on by the Ministry of Children and Family Development without any prior consultation or cost benefit analysis. It is absolutely amazing that the Minster’s office believes it can do this job that is internationally renowned and is so cost effective, better.
In my opinion if you wanted an example of how to implement the Children and Youth with Special Needs – A Frame work for Action strategy that it would be beneficial to examine how the provincial Infant Development Office was developed and functioned over the past thirty four years. This office has developed functional and accessible services to all parts of the province that puts children’s and family’s needs first. . It has won awards for the way it has supported the infant development consultants through training. The model they have used has ensured that quality is measured and accountable. This office has created and nurtured partnerships in the international research community to not only use evidence but to develop it. We should be so proud of our British Columbia based infant development program which was developed here and has such a respected reputation internationally!! The nature of how the provincial Infant Development Office functions enables parents to access services more simply. Finally, and most ironically, this office was one of the best models of true collaboration provincially that I have worked with in my 26 year career. The irony is that the decision of your government was unilateral and not collaborative with any of the stakeholders.
In my opinion we should appreciate the success that we have developed in the Infant Development Program in British Columbia and develop ways to work with the stakeholders towards the changes the government wants to make. It is extremely disappointing that our youngest and most vulnerable children will most definitely be negatively affected while the Ministry figures out what to do once the office officially closes at the end of December.
Respectfully
Susan Stewart
MRSc, BScPT
Clinical Assistant Professor, UBC
Cc Minister Polak, Lesley Du Toit
I am writing to you to express my deep disappointment with the government in the closure of the provincial Infant Development Office and in the way it was handled. The decision itself is one thing. But even more concerning is the fact that every stakeholder involved in this issue wrote to your government: parents, children, researchers, academics, front line workers, doctors, other health care practitioners, international committees, etc. The blog http://partnerships2009.blogspot.com/ contains an extraordinarily impressive collection of letters from every stakeholder imaginable as well as from the international early intervention community. So many people involved with our most vulnerable children in their early intervention years on a day to day basis took the time to write and advocate in a reasoned and measured way and yet none of these voices have been listened to. I wrote to yourself and the Minister for Children and Family Development a few weeks ago and have not received a response from either office.
I completely understand fiscal restraint and the need to make changes in how we do things. I am also sure that you understand that people adapt to change much better when they have been consulted with, heard and if possible are involved with the changes. In this particular case the coordinator of the provincial Infant Development Office was essentially let go in a letter, after thirty four years in the job, on her first day back to work from treatments for cancer. All of the work of this office is to be taken on by the Ministry of Children and Family Development without any prior consultation or cost benefit analysis. It is absolutely amazing that the Minster’s office believes it can do this job that is internationally renowned and is so cost effective, better.
In my opinion if you wanted an example of how to implement the Children and Youth with Special Needs – A Frame work for Action strategy that it would be beneficial to examine how the provincial Infant Development Office was developed and functioned over the past thirty four years. This office has developed functional and accessible services to all parts of the province that puts children’s and family’s needs first. . It has won awards for the way it has supported the infant development consultants through training. The model they have used has ensured that quality is measured and accountable. This office has created and nurtured partnerships in the international research community to not only use evidence but to develop it. We should be so proud of our British Columbia based infant development program which was developed here and has such a respected reputation internationally!! The nature of how the provincial Infant Development Office functions enables parents to access services more simply. Finally, and most ironically, this office was one of the best models of true collaboration provincially that I have worked with in my 26 year career. The irony is that the decision of your government was unilateral and not collaborative with any of the stakeholders.
In my opinion we should appreciate the success that we have developed in the Infant Development Program in British Columbia and develop ways to work with the stakeholders towards the changes the government wants to make. It is extremely disappointing that our youngest and most vulnerable children will most definitely be negatively affected while the Ministry figures out what to do once the office officially closes at the end of December.
Respectfully
Susan Stewart
MRSc, BScPT
Clinical Assistant Professor, UBC
Cc Minister Polak, Lesley Du Toit
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Letter from Haida Gwaii IDP - K. Larocque
Haida Gwaii Infant Development Program Northern Health Box 619, Masset, BC, V0T 1M0 Tel: 250-626-4716 Honorable Mary Polack, Minister Children and Family Development Minister.MCF@gov.bc.ca Lesley Du Toit, Deputy Minister, Children and Family Development MCF.DeputyMinisterOffice@gov.bc.ca Premier Gordon Campbell premier@gov.bc.ca November 23, 2009 Dear Ministers,
Re: Form Letter Response from Minister Polak regarding termination of contract to the Office of the Provincial Advisor for Infant Development Programs.
I am deeply concerned over what I feel is a lack of respect and consideration towards the issues I raised in my letter dated October 6, 2009 around the impact that the termination of the contract to the Provincial Office will have at an individual program level and ultimately a family and child level. Your letter did not address any of the concerns I raised. Therefore I will ask you specific questions that I hope you can provide answers to. You assured me in your letter to me dated November 5, 2009 “that direct services to children will not be reduced as a result of the decision to discontinue the advisor positions.” Direct services to children may not be reduced but I worry that the quality and integrity of these services will be at risk as a result of the loss of the services provided by the Provincial Office to IDP.
In your letter to the Editor in the Monday, November 16th, 2009 Vancouver Sun you state, “While the advisor position may be ending, the work of the office will continue with no loss or interruption in either infant development or child development services”. How will there be no loss or interruption in direct services to families and children who access IDP when the below mentioned services that the Provincial Office to the IDP carries out will be cut away? a) Answer parent questions around any number of issues and topics relating to special health care and developmental needs of infants and children. b) Train new IDP consultants on assessing infants’ development as well as keep up to date on new research based best practices on issues such as Cortical Visual Impairment or supporting the development of Infant s who have Down’s Syndrome or Turners Syndrome. c) Maintain the up to date IDP Library. Send updated and research-based, information on a wide variety of medical and developmental issues and conditions to IDP Consultants, parents, and community service providers who are caring for a child who has a specific diagnosis or condition. d) Maintain critical links and relationships around the province, country and world with researchers, teachers, and developers of the most up to date, evidence based programs for families and children who have special needs. e) Research, coordinate and implement ongoing In-service training and Summer Institute at UBC for IDP Consultants across the Province. f) Be the advisor to both IDP Consultants and Parents who are working together to make every day experiences for a child who has special needs and or special health care challenges more meaningful, more integrated, more comfortable, and more supportive. g) Link IDP consultants who are working with families and children who face rare and complex issues to specialists in the field as well as link parents with similar issues. The Provincial Office to IDP provides the above mentioned services that are vital to direct services to children. This system has been terminated by your Ministry and you state that “While the advisor position may be ending, the work of the office will continue”. I can only conclude from this statement that the Ministry has a plan to give this very important work to another body, office, or person within the Ministry of Children and Family Development. If the Minister does intend to replicate some or all of the above mentioned services then how will that happen? Who will do the work? Will the replication of services mentioned above cost more or less than the $300,000 budget that funded the Provincial Office? If there is a budget set aside to replace the services then why was there no consultation with those affected around possible reduction of the Provincial Office budget instead of an abrupt termination of contract?
Given the negative impact this decision will have on IDP program functioning and therefore direct services to families and children I trust you will be able to respond with thoughtful and informative answers to these 5 questions I have asked. Sincerely,
Kimberley Larocque, BA, HSD, CYC
Haida Gwaii Infant Development Program Coordinator
Re: Form Letter Response from Minister Polak regarding termination of contract to the Office of the Provincial Advisor for Infant Development Programs.
I am deeply concerned over what I feel is a lack of respect and consideration towards the issues I raised in my letter dated October 6, 2009 around the impact that the termination of the contract to the Provincial Office will have at an individual program level and ultimately a family and child level. Your letter did not address any of the concerns I raised. Therefore I will ask you specific questions that I hope you can provide answers to. You assured me in your letter to me dated November 5, 2009 “that direct services to children will not be reduced as a result of the decision to discontinue the advisor positions.” Direct services to children may not be reduced but I worry that the quality and integrity of these services will be at risk as a result of the loss of the services provided by the Provincial Office to IDP.
In your letter to the Editor in the Monday, November 16th, 2009 Vancouver Sun you state, “While the advisor position may be ending, the work of the office will continue with no loss or interruption in either infant development or child development services”. How will there be no loss or interruption in direct services to families and children who access IDP when the below mentioned services that the Provincial Office to the IDP carries out will be cut away? a) Answer parent questions around any number of issues and topics relating to special health care and developmental needs of infants and children. b) Train new IDP consultants on assessing infants’ development as well as keep up to date on new research based best practices on issues such as Cortical Visual Impairment or supporting the development of Infant s who have Down’s Syndrome or Turners Syndrome. c) Maintain the up to date IDP Library. Send updated and research-based, information on a wide variety of medical and developmental issues and conditions to IDP Consultants, parents, and community service providers who are caring for a child who has a specific diagnosis or condition. d) Maintain critical links and relationships around the province, country and world with researchers, teachers, and developers of the most up to date, evidence based programs for families and children who have special needs. e) Research, coordinate and implement ongoing In-service training and Summer Institute at UBC for IDP Consultants across the Province. f) Be the advisor to both IDP Consultants and Parents who are working together to make every day experiences for a child who has special needs and or special health care challenges more meaningful, more integrated, more comfortable, and more supportive. g) Link IDP consultants who are working with families and children who face rare and complex issues to specialists in the field as well as link parents with similar issues. The Provincial Office to IDP provides the above mentioned services that are vital to direct services to children. This system has been terminated by your Ministry and you state that “While the advisor position may be ending, the work of the office will continue”. I can only conclude from this statement that the Ministry has a plan to give this very important work to another body, office, or person within the Ministry of Children and Family Development. If the Minister does intend to replicate some or all of the above mentioned services then how will that happen? Who will do the work? Will the replication of services mentioned above cost more or less than the $300,000 budget that funded the Provincial Office? If there is a budget set aside to replace the services then why was there no consultation with those affected around possible reduction of the Provincial Office budget instead of an abrupt termination of contract?
Given the negative impact this decision will have on IDP program functioning and therefore direct services to families and children I trust you will be able to respond with thoughtful and informative answers to these 5 questions I have asked. Sincerely,
Kimberley Larocque, BA, HSD, CYC
Haida Gwaii Infant Development Program Coordinator
First Call-Petition to Restore Provincial Cuts for Special Needs Children
First Call’s Weekly Announcements – November 25, 2009
Next Coalition Meeting: December 9
Next ECD Roundtable: January 20
BC Child Poverty Report Card Now Available
Visit our web site for more information.
Petition to Restore Provincial Cuts for Special Needs Children
The MOMs provincial family support network marked Children’s Day with the launch of a petition asking the premier to honour his promises to kids. From their press release:
The UN Convention, a legally binding instrument, states that “in all actions concerning children …the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.” Article 23 notes the obligation of signatory states to provide special supports for children with mental and physical disabilities “in a manner conducive to the child's achieving the fullest possible social integration and individual development.” Article 29, which deals with the right to a free public education, re-emphasizes the right to “development of the child's personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential.” Elsewhere, the Convention addresses the obligation of signatory states to support parents in meeting the needs of their children where families are unable to do so themselves.
While the Convention acknowledges that state support will be shaped by available resources, nowhere does it suggest these supports should be way down on the list of national priorities, after political leaders and senior bureaucrats have enjoyed exorbitant pay and benefit increases and spent billions on hosting lavish events and costly physical infrastructure projects.
Under Great Goal #3 of his Strategic Plan for BC, Premier Campbell implicitly acknowledged these commitments when he promised to “build the best system of support in Canada ” for children with special needs and those at risk. It was a truly laudable goal – but one that was never honoured and that has now been forgotten.
While BC enjoyed record budget surpluses, waitlists for crucial supports grew longer, both in and out of school. Now Children’s Minister Mary Polak has cut millions, eliminating key programs for autism, FASD, infant and child development and Aboriginal children at risk. Other cuts include youth programs (mental health, addiction treatment), Special Olympics and funding for community-based children’s services. Polak also cut critical monitoring and oversight roles that assure children’s welfare and safety, and cut out important delivery options like direct funding. There was no risk assessment of impacts and these cuts accompany yet another major ministry re-structuring that will further strain capacity to support children at risk.
The petition is available online here.
…/top
Next Coalition Meeting: December 9
Next ECD Roundtable: January 20
BC Child Poverty Report Card Now Available
Visit our web site for more information.
Petition to Restore Provincial Cuts for Special Needs Children
The MOMs provincial family support network marked Children’s Day with the launch of a petition asking the premier to honour his promises to kids. From their press release:
The UN Convention, a legally binding instrument, states that “in all actions concerning children …the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.” Article 23 notes the obligation of signatory states to provide special supports for children with mental and physical disabilities “in a manner conducive to the child's achieving the fullest possible social integration and individual development.” Article 29, which deals with the right to a free public education, re-emphasizes the right to “development of the child's personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential.” Elsewhere, the Convention addresses the obligation of signatory states to support parents in meeting the needs of their children where families are unable to do so themselves.
While the Convention acknowledges that state support will be shaped by available resources, nowhere does it suggest these supports should be way down on the list of national priorities, after political leaders and senior bureaucrats have enjoyed exorbitant pay and benefit increases and spent billions on hosting lavish events and costly physical infrastructure projects.
Under Great Goal #3 of his Strategic Plan for BC, Premier Campbell implicitly acknowledged these commitments when he promised to “build the best system of support in Canada ” for children with special needs and those at risk. It was a truly laudable goal – but one that was never honoured and that has now been forgotten.
While BC enjoyed record budget surpluses, waitlists for crucial supports grew longer, both in and out of school. Now Children’s Minister Mary Polak has cut millions, eliminating key programs for autism, FASD, infant and child development and Aboriginal children at risk. Other cuts include youth programs (mental health, addiction treatment), Special Olympics and funding for community-based children’s services. Polak also cut critical monitoring and oversight roles that assure children’s welfare and safety, and cut out important delivery options like direct funding. There was no risk assessment of impacts and these cuts accompany yet another major ministry re-structuring that will further strain capacity to support children at risk.
The petition is available online here.
…/top
From Dana Brynelsen - to IDP PSC
Dear Steering Committee,
Carolyn Graves, Mike Whitfield, Pat Hanbury, Mari Pighini, Mary Stewart, Bonnie Barnes and Dana Brynelsen met with the Minister on Friday November 20, 2009. We were not successful in convincing her to reconsider her decision to close the office.
Therefore, we have drafted three letters announcing the closure of the office, one to Minister Polak, one to Infant Development Consultants and one to Executive Directors of Sponsoring Societies. People are anxious to know the outcome of the meeting. I would like these letters to go out tomorrow. I know this is a quick turnabout but could you quickly look at these and let Amelia know if you approve and we will send them out tomorrow.
Unfortunately as you know I am on medical leave, I have some more complications and need to deal with these and I have another chemotherapy treatment on Thursday so may not be able to get back into this office until next week. And then I am to restrict my work to a bare minimum.
Carolyn and I would like to have a Provincial Steering Committee meeting on December 3, 2009 from 11:30 to 1:30 at Berwick. This means we can park in front!!! And we will have a nice lunch. Please let Amelia know of your availability. If a number of you are not able to attend we will try to find another date.
This will be the final meeting of the committee. But we must remember that we have had a very long and uninterrupted run from December 10, 1975 to December 3, 2009. You have been able to influence good practice in an emerging field and 80,000 families have directly benefited from your work. So my congratulations to you all and my heartfelt thanks for your wonderful volunteer advocacy. What a difference you have made. We will celebrate this on the 3rd.
Kind regards,
Dana
Dana Brynelsen
Provincial Advisor
Infant Development Program of BC
Carolyn Graves, Mike Whitfield, Pat Hanbury, Mari Pighini, Mary Stewart, Bonnie Barnes and Dana Brynelsen met with the Minister on Friday November 20, 2009. We were not successful in convincing her to reconsider her decision to close the office.
Therefore, we have drafted three letters announcing the closure of the office, one to Minister Polak, one to Infant Development Consultants and one to Executive Directors of Sponsoring Societies. People are anxious to know the outcome of the meeting. I would like these letters to go out tomorrow. I know this is a quick turnabout but could you quickly look at these and let Amelia know if you approve and we will send them out tomorrow.
Unfortunately as you know I am on medical leave, I have some more complications and need to deal with these and I have another chemotherapy treatment on Thursday so may not be able to get back into this office until next week. And then I am to restrict my work to a bare minimum.
Carolyn and I would like to have a Provincial Steering Committee meeting on December 3, 2009 from 11:30 to 1:30 at Berwick. This means we can park in front!!! And we will have a nice lunch. Please let Amelia know of your availability. If a number of you are not able to attend we will try to find another date.
This will be the final meeting of the committee. But we must remember that we have had a very long and uninterrupted run from December 10, 1975 to December 3, 2009. You have been able to influence good practice in an emerging field and 80,000 families have directly benefited from your work. So my congratulations to you all and my heartfelt thanks for your wonderful volunteer advocacy. What a difference you have made. We will celebrate this on the 3rd.
Kind regards,
Dana
Dana Brynelsen
Provincial Advisor
Infant Development Program of BC
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Letter to Government, Dr. M Guralnick, International Society for Early Intervention (ISEI)
The Infant Development Program of British Columbia has become a model and standard of care for vulnerable children and their families in the international community. It is well recognized that the key to this success has been the leadership provided by the Provincial Office. In fact, the administrative procedures developed and implemented by the Infant Development Program Provincial Advisor, Dana Brynelson, and her staff, have been utilized worldwide by early intervention professionals and administrators. This resource was selected to be made available to professionals in nearly 100 countries through the Professional Training Resource Library established by the International Society on Early Intervention.
As Chair of the International Society on Early Intervention, I was shocked to learn that the Ministry for Children and Family Development is eliminating this critical resource. The field of early intervention has learned all too well that implementation and coordination of the most effective care can only occur through expert leadership, through the design and implementation of continuing education programs for practitioners, and through collaborations with researchers to develop innovative strategies.
All of these and so many other vital resources will clearly be lost in the absence of the staff in the Provincial Office. Although some cost savings may be initially achieved, reduction in the quality of services which is sure to follow will clearly result in the need for far more extensive services for children in the years ahead. As the major representative of the international community of early intervention, and as your neighbor to the south who has both appreciated and utilized the sophisticated resources provided by the Provincial Office, I would strongly encourage you to consider reversing this decision.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Guralnick, Ph.D.
Chair, International Society on Early Intervention
As Chair of the International Society on Early Intervention, I was shocked to learn that the Ministry for Children and Family Development is eliminating this critical resource. The field of early intervention has learned all too well that implementation and coordination of the most effective care can only occur through expert leadership, through the design and implementation of continuing education programs for practitioners, and through collaborations with researchers to develop innovative strategies.
All of these and so many other vital resources will clearly be lost in the absence of the staff in the Provincial Office. Although some cost savings may be initially achieved, reduction in the quality of services which is sure to follow will clearly result in the need for far more extensive services for children in the years ahead. As the major representative of the international community of early intervention, and as your neighbor to the south who has both appreciated and utilized the sophisticated resources provided by the Provincial Office, I would strongly encourage you to consider reversing this decision.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Guralnick, Ph.D.
Chair, International Society on Early Intervention
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