Église multifonctionnelle de Bécancour
3025 Av. Nicolas Perrot, Bécancour, QC G9H 3B8
What is the “Autism – It takes a village!” conference about?
CASE-MCQ, in partnership with the Users’ Committee for Autism Services (Comité des usagers de Di-TSA) of CIUSSS-MCQ, has organized a very special afternoon conference supporting the autism community of English-speaking Mauricie-Centre-du-Québec.
Over the past two decades, awareness about autism has improved, seemingly in line with an increase in autism diagnoses, especially in children. However, access to autism services and other health-related services for autism comorbidities (ex. speech therapy, occupational therapy) can be a challenge. Similar challenges apply for the education sector. Those challenges intensify when you and/or your child speaks English.
“Raising a child on the spectrum comes with challenges, but those challenges paled in comparison to navigating the system and advocating for him. Accessing services, trying to get him what he so desperately needed – what I was told he needed – felt like a full time job. I felt like I was failing as a parent. I just didn’t know what to do or who to turn to.” - Parent (anonymous)
Confusion about what to do and who to turn to once a child receives a diagnosis for autism is normal. So is feeling frustrated and overwhelmed when your child and your family do not receive essential services. That’s why CASE and the Users’ Committee for Autism services have partnered up to help!
Who can attend?
While much of this conference speaks to parents and guardians of autistic children, it also speaks to extended family members and friends who are often on the front line of support. Educators, local community organizations, and community leaders are also encouraged to attend.
And, yes, bring your kids! Whether neurodivergent or neurotypical, kids are welcome! This is an inclusive event. After all, your child(ren) are an integral part of “the village” and we want to see them, hear them and celebrate them.
This conference will be in English, but we invite members of the French-speaking community to attend. All are welcome. Our French information and registration page is here.
What to expect
The conference is framed by the 10 essential steps needed once a child has received a formal diagnosis. Essentially, this is a checklist developed by the Agape Association. Various professionals from health and social services, the education sector, and autism-specific community organizations will speak to these steps in detail. While this checklist can be applied across the province, specific local points of service and resources will be highlighted.
A very important part of this conference is Users’ Rights. Your child has rights to services. You also have rights as a parent or guardian of an autistic child – rights as a family – to services and support. Understanding those rights and how to ensure they are respected is paramount. And who better to speak to these rights than the Users’ Committee?
We will also have a presentation by Giant Steps, a school and charitable foundation based in Montreal.
Information kiosks for autism-related services and organizations will be on site.
This is also a great time to meet other parents/guardians and their kids and to meet professionals, community leaders and community members who care about the autistic community of English-speaking MCQ. We won’t close our doors until 5:00pm, a full hour after the conference, because we hope you will stay and get to know each other and ask questions.
List of Presenters and Topics
In addition to giving their presentations, the presenters will be available to speak with attendees during the break and after the conference to answer any questions they may have.
Julia Frid, CASE-MCQ’s Networking and Partnership Coordinator, Assistant Director and the conference organizer, will lead the event.
Stéphanie Dupéré of CIUSSS-MCQ’s Primary Care Access Point / Guichet d’accès à la première ligne (GAP) will speak to the critical steps needed to ensure your child has access to the public health and social services he/she is entitled to have.
Marly-Geneviève Damas from Canada Revenue Agency will speak to the various benefits and tax credits accorded to parents of a child with autism.
Katherine Korakakis from the English Parents’ Committee Association (EPCA) will speak to the critical steps parents/guardians need to take to ensure their child obtains services from their daycare or school.
Patricia Giguère from the Central Quebec School Board will inform parents/guardians of the government office that provides free and confidential assistance and accompaniment to parents/guadiens of children with disabilities, the Office des personnes handicapées du Québec (OPHQ).
Jean-Pierre Thibeault, the Director of the Users’ Committee for autism services / Comité des usagers des services de réadaptation DI-TSA (CIUSSS-MCQ) will speak to Users’ Rights, i.e., the rights your child has to access autism-related services from public health and social services. He will also speak to the importance of communicating with him and filing a complaint if your child is not receiving services.
Janick Ouimet from the centres for assistance and accompanyment for filing a complaint / Les centres d’assistance et d’accompagnement aux plaintes (CAAP) will inform us of how CAAP can assist in filing a complaint if your child is not receiving services from public health and social services.
Doris Schaerli from the Central Quebec School Board will speak about how to advocate for services for your child at school, the role of the Student Ombudsman and filing a complaint.
Giant Steps, a non-profit organization and private school for autistics in Montreal, will present a video about how parents/ guardians can use their resources and tools to learn about autism.
Kassandra Lachapelle from the Association of handicapped persons of Nicolet-Yamaska / Association des personnes handicapées de Nicolet-Yamaska will speak about the importance of self care for parents and societal support for autistics and their families.
Preparing yourself and your child(ren) for the event.
We understand that this conference is intended for adults and that this may pose some challenges if you to choose to attend with your child(ren). Just know that they are welcome with joy and that we have put some support in place.
A respite area at the community centre across the street. The community centre has a gym where your kid(s) can run around and get their energy out. We’ll have a few sensory and crafting activities there too. Qualified personnel will be on hand to assist you. IMPORTANT: A parent/guardian or other trusted adult must accompany the child(ren). If you are a single parent/guardian attending, it may be helpful for you to have a trusted family member or friend accompany you who can take on this task.
When you register, you will be asked to provide basic information about your child. This includes any sensory or accommodation needs. Anything you feel we should know to help your child(ren) feel comfortable is important to us.
Prepare your child(ren)
Explain that this is a grownup event, but that the grownups eagerly want to meet them.
If your child is sensitive to sound, please bring their noise-canceling headphones. The acoustics at the church are lovely, but there is an echo. With so many people attending (that is our hope), it may get overwhelming noise-wise for some children.
Please bring anything that will occupy your child(ren). Toys, fidget toys, electronic devices (preferably with earphones), etc. NOTE, there is no Wifi, so be sure to download games and videos in advance and don’t forget chargers.
Sunglasses if they are sensitive to light.
Snacks and drinks that they like. We’ll have snacks and beverages at mid-conference break, but you know how kids are: they like to eat what they like and when they like to eat it.
For more information:
Tanya Bolduc, CASE-MCQ
1-819-665-6191
