How the VMFRC may support you

The Valcartier Military Family Resource Centre now offers a special education follow-up service within its team. The educator will be able to meet with you to determine the needs specific to your family situation, to initiate adaptive measures (both for you and for your child) in line with your reality, to accompany you in the various necessary steps such as with the public, private, educational, fiscal resources, etc., Request services 
 
Offered by the Valcartier Military Family Resource Centre · 418 844-6060 · 1 877 844-6060 

Assessment and Diagnostic Process 

  • The benefits of getting a diagnosis 

    The decision to engage in the steps of an assessment process can generate its share of apprehensions. This decision inevitably comes with the acceptance that our child may end up this process with an official diagnosis.  
     
    Nevertheless, obtaining a formal diagnosis is the way to open the doors to appropriate services for your child, and thus promote better conditions in all spheres of their life. The diagnosis helps bring some answers so that you can learn more about the diagnosed condition, better understand how the child is functioning, and glimpse the future based on information that is more precise.   

  • The steps of an assessment process 

    The first step is to discuss the situation with your family doctor, who can then refer you to a specialist. You can also go to the psychosocial intake service of the CLSC in your area. A social worker will meet with you and assess the need to refer you to the public resources. If you do not have a family doctor and if your CLSC does not offer psychosocial intake, contact Info-Social at 8-1-1. The nurse will direct you to the appropriate resource.  

    The assessment process itself may take more or less time, depending on the condition to be assessed. Sometimes, a few meetings are enough for a professional to be able to rule on the situation. In other cases, several professionals may need to assess different aspects depending on their expertise (for example, doctor, psychologist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, neuropsychologist, child psychiatrist). Also, it is common for parents to be called upon in the process to provide their observations, the history of the child since birth, the evolution of the challenges encountered, etc. School stakeholders can also be called upon since they have often accumulated observations that are relevant for the evaluation. Following the meetings, all of the information collected is recorded in a report which will be given to you and explained by the professional in charge. Recommendations are generally made as to the professional help needed to support you in your day-to-day life, and referrals to specialist services can be made, if necessary.  

    There may be a delay, varying in length depending on the region and the urgency of the situation, between your request and the start of the assessment process. In the meantime, do not hesitate to contact the emergency services for the necessary assistance. When the situation requires it, calling emergency services will necessarily speed up the process and revise your child's assessment priority.  

    Some parents may prefer to hire a professional in private practice to obtain an assessment and diagnosis in a shorter timeframe. In this case, most private insurance companies cover the costs related to the diagnostic evaluation conducted by a psychologist, with a prescription from a doctor. However, some delays should be expected with several private professionals.   

Demands and Emotions Experienced by Parents and Children 

  • Shock of diagnosis 

    Learning that your child is struggling physically or has developmental issues may arouse strong emotions.  Here are some examples of possible reactions:   

    • Parents often say that they do not understand all of the elements explained by professionals when the diagnosis is announced. On the one hand, they are too upset to understand everything. On the other hand, some medical terms are indeed very complex.  
    • Parents sometimes feel helpless when they come home. It is the beginning of mourning, that of the "ideal" child and of the so-called "normal" family. Each parent experiences it in their own way and at their own pace, which can cause tensions within the couple.  
    • Some parents may experience anger and feel injustice.  
    • Others feel guilty even if it is not their fault.  
    • Parents may feel misunderstood by their families and friends who do not experience the same reality.  

    These reactions are normal. The diagnosis tells parents they will face greater demands than those typically faced by parents of children who do not have special needs.  

    Reference: https://naitreetgrandir.com/fr/etape/1_3_ans/viefamille/fiche.aspx?doc=enfant-besoins-particuliers-il-faut-savoir   

    You recognize yourself? You feel the need to talk to someone to see more clearly? A VMFRC worker can help you.  

  • Demands 

    Children with special needs often need extra care, time or help with day-to-day tasks, putting more strain on parents. This very complex reality leads many parents of children with special needs to experience social isolation and fatigue. The family situation can make visits and outings very difficult, and sometimes those around them do not fully understand this reality. So, it can become difficult for parents to rely on extended family or friends for a break. And fatigue sets in gradually. The many appointments, the difficult work-family balance, the child's high needs, the mental load, the lack of sleep, the feeling of helplessness, the lack of professional services and network support, the look of others, isolation can make parents sink into a great fatigue, which can progress to exhaustion, or even depression.  

    In order to reduce the impact on the family as much as possible, here are some key elements:    

    Couple: Team up with your partner in how to intervene and provide care, respect each other's emotions and progress, and reserve quality time together.  

    Siblings: Reserve a special time for siblings to prevent them from feeling left out, offer them to participate in activities reserved for siblings of children with special needs to allow them to feel understood and less alone.  

    Career: Continuing your professional activities allows you to fulfill yourself in a role other than that of parent and allows you to share care and appointments with the other parent.  

    Reference : https://naitreetgrandir.com/fr/etape/1_3_ans/viefamille/fiche.aspx?doc=enfant-besoins-particuliers-il-faut-savoir   

    Do not hesitate to get in touch with a VMFRC worker for help and to find out about the resources and associations in your area. Lien vers Rendez-vous 

  • When to discuss the diagnosis with your child

    Before you talk to your child about their condition, you need to make sure you are ready to do so. It's best to wait until you know enough about your diagnosis before discussing it with them. This will allow you to correctly answer their questions. It's also best to wait until you are able to talk about it empathetically without being overwhelmed by your emotions.  

    It is important to respect their pace of understanding and give him information as they asks for it. If a child does not seem bothered by the reality of their diagnosis, or if they are too young to realize it, there is no need to talk to them. Emphasizing their differences and peculiarities could only worry them for nothing.  

     

    When the time comes, it's a good idea to use simple words and build on what your child has already said and observed about him or her. Your child needs to be reassured that you love them. It's important to tell them that no matter what their diagnosis, it doesn't change anything for you and that you still love them as much.  

    Several children's books feature characters who live with a difference or have special needs. It is a good idea to read some with your child so that they can identify with a character and know that they are not alone in their situation, and to gradually introduce the topic with them.  

    Reference: https://naitreetgrandir.com/fr/etape/1_3_ans/viefamille/fiche.aspx?doc=enfant-besoins-particuliers-parler-diagnostic  

     

    You would like to discuss the diagnosis with your child, or you would like to understand your child's emotions following the announcement of the diagnosis? A counselor from the VMFRC can help you plan a discussion with your child. Request services 

Schooling 

Under the Quebec Education Act (Loi sur l’instruction publique), school service centres (formerly school boards) must offer adapted services to make education possible for everyone. Children with special needs have the right to an education adapted to meet their needs, their age and their academic abilities. It is therefore the responsibility of the school, with the collaboration of parents and the professionals involved, to put in place the necessary measures aimed at ensuring the same chances of success for all children.  

  • Intervention Plan 

    In order to identify the child's needs and the adaptations to be put in place, an intervention plan will be developed. The development of the intervention plan involves a process during which the parents and the school discuss the measures that can be taken to promote the success and development of your child, following the identification of the challenges that the child is experiencing and / or the limitations he encounters which prevent him from achieving certain goals. These measures will be reassessed and readjusted over time based on their effectiveness.  

     

  • Regular classes with specialized services:  

    Many children with special needs are able to progress in regular classes with the implementation of measures to promote their well-being and their success. This is often the first intervention that will be attempted by the school environment. In addition, having a diagnosis from a professional, or waiting for a diagnosis, generally allows the school to obtain a budget for the implementation of the identified measures.  

    Specialized classes: For other students, it will be better to consider a transfer to a specialized class. These classes are mostly found in regular schools, but have various adaptations. Access to these classes requires a diagnosis by a professional (or an assessment in progress), and the referral to the specialized class will be made by your child's neighborhood school.  

  • Specialized schools:

    For some children, the special school will be the best place to allow them to be educated in an environment that will promote their fulfillment and development. Specialized schools offer adaptations in all spheres of education and have more professional resources. To be admitted, the child must have disabilities that significantly limit his participation in educational activities in the ordinary or adapted class, despite the implementation of adaptation measures. As for the special class, the reference must be made by your child's neighborhood school. Depending on your child's type of needs, the school that best meets their needs may be located on the territory of another school service center.  
     
    Your child is experiencing challenges at school? A VFC worker can help you. Request services 
     
    Offered by the Valcartier Military Family Resource Centre · 418 844-6060 · 1 877 844-6060