A new study says the City of Powell River can do more to make children with disabilities feel more included.
The study by the University of Victoria and Vancouver Coastal Health makes seven high-level recommendations based on values, language and staff training to make children with disabilities feel more included.
Community Belonging Project researcher Meriko Kubota says this is a complex issue.
“If it was as simple as having a staff person change behaviour or a program this would look very different and our recommendations would look quite different to you,” Kubota told a committee of council Tuesday.
Even in the middle of the two-year study, Kubota noted the city is already making strides to address this issue.
“We actually saw some programming become available like a new swim class available for children who might find it way to stimulating and inaccessible to enter swimming lessons. And so there was a designated program of swim lessons that made the class smaller, that turned off the music in the pool and dimmed the lights,” she said.
The study also found many of the city’s key policy documents like the official community plan and the active living guide make no mention of children with disabilities.
“In cases where children are mentioned, they are often considered only as “children” and not in relation to other dimensions of their experiences or identities,” the study said.
Councillor Cindy Elliott shared her story of being a parent to some children with disabilities saying it was hard to include them in city recreational activities due to lack of extra support.
“When there isn’t that happening and your child is unable to participate the same way other children are because they require that extra support, they inevitably call the parent and say you have to come get your kid because we can’t handle him,” Elliott said.
“Plans for inclusion would include having the right amount of staff to support children who require extra help,” she said.
The study group says staffing has been included in the report.
A committee of council received the study and will use it as a reference.
