Autism summer program overwhelmed by demand
Inability to find spot for son leaves mother `fearful' for mental health
A Regina mother says she is struggling to find summer programming that can accommodate her nineyear-old son who has autism.
Harmony Resler moved her family from Estevan to Regina following her son's diagnosis so they could be closer to support services, but is still finding it hard to access certain resources for her high-needs child.
“Autism parents have it very hard, but some parents have it a whole lot harder,” said Resler in an interview Tuesday.
“I wish I wasn't in that category. I wish I had help, I wish we had daycare, but that's another thing you can't get in this province.”
Resler said daycares won't take her child because of his high needs and she isn't able to work without that additional caregiver support. Although school offers a break for her to take care of things around the house and other life demands, she said the summers can be gruelling.
“I'm fearful, honestly, for my own mental health,” she said, adding that her son is constantly on the go, and her husband works longer hours during the summer months.
Resler said they usually spend their weekends driving around to different activities.
“Lately, he's obsessed with play parks. I think we went to 13 this weekend.”
The only respite the family can look forward to over the summer months, is a camp run by Regina's Autism Resource Centre (ARC).
The camp, which ARC has been operating for over 20 years, is unique in that parents are involved with teachers and caseworks to develop a plan for the two- to three-week camp.
While kids are there to have fun and participate in various activities, they also work on life skills and goals.
But this year, they didn't get a spot due to the lottery system put in place to relieve parents of the stress of signing up, which ARC executive director says was akin to signing up for a camping spot when registration opens.
“We just felt we were putting so much pressure on parents,” said Angela Ricci, ARC'S executive director.
Ricci says registration for the day camp, which offers one-on-one supports, has increased by 50 per cent since 2018, and is expected to keep increasing.
“We feel like the increase is trending with how many children are being diagnosed,” said Ricci.
According to data from the Government of Canada, one in 50 children are diagnosed with autism nationally, up from one in 66 in 2015.
Although statistics are trending higher, funding for programming and services hasn't quite caught up yet, Ricci said.
“I have to go out there and look for funding, which could be private or public,” said Ricci. “It takes time.”
While Ricci says she is aware this isn't the answer parents want to hear, they do have a strategy in place to eventually expand the camp, it just comes down to dollars and cents.
The Government of Saskatchewan also provides funding to ARC and the camp, but has yet to respond to asks for an increase.
“They're very aware of what's going on and they're interested in supporting us,” said Ricci. “There's a lot of services that need attention right now, and it doesn't mean they're not going to give it to me, it just means we're going to continue to ask.”
On Wednesday, the Opposition called out the provincial government for cuts to per-student funding they say has a disproportionate affect kids with high needs, like those with autism.
“Kids with complex needs have suffered the most,” said NDP education critic Matt Love. “But as a teacher, I can say with certainty that failing to help our kids with the most complex needs creates a domino effect that's felt by everyone.”
Love pointed to a recent statement from Saskatoon Public Schools that said while the education funding announced in the provincial budget may seem like a lot, it leaves “minimal room for further supports, programs and services for students” when things like increased enrolment and inflation are factored in.
Midale mother Katie Emde has been an outspoken advocate for autism awareness and supports for years.
She joined Love on Wednesday to speak on the challenges of navigating supports for two of her three children diagnosed with autism in a rural area.
She said she has watched her kids struggle “immensely to thrive and succeed” in the public education system and even made the decision to pull her oldest out of school because he is unable to “safely attend” for lack of resources.
“How sad is that?” Emde lamented.
For Resler, she said there's not a lot of hope left for a summer camp for her son since most of the private camps she's looked into just can't accommodate her child.
“He is too high-needs.”
There's a lot of services that need attention right now, and it doesn't mean they're not going to give it to me.