An Evidence-Based Collaborative Framework for Integrated School

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An Evidence-Based

Collaborative Framework for

Integrated School-Based

Rehabilitation Services

PROPOSAL TO: CLIENT

MONTH DAY YEAR

Produced on behalf of CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research by

Cheryl Missiuna, Wenonah Campbell, Debra Stewart, Nancy Pollock, Leah Dix and the

What is the opportunity?

In Ontario, students with special needs receive a variety of educational and health professional

support services that aim to enhance learning, participation, and success in school. How those

services can be best coordinated and delivered to students with disabilities in Ontario schools is

an issue that has been previously identified as a priority for the province (Deloitte, 2010). With

the unveiling of Ontario’s new Special Needs Strategy, there is an unprecedented opportunity

to reshape how health professionals, educators, parents, and families can best work

together to ensure that “children and youth with special needs get the timely and effective

services they need to participate fully at home, at school, in the community, and as they prepare

to achieve their goals for adulthood.”(Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCYS), 2014).

What is Partnering for Change and why is this framework relevant?

Partnering for Change (P4C) is an innovative collaborative service delivery model that was

first introduced into the school setting through a demonstration project led by CanChild and the

Central West Community Care Access Centre (CCAC). This evidence-based model involves

educators and health professionals working in the classroom to enhance student participation.

Originally developed by and for occupational therapists, research indicates that the core

principles and features of P4C are relevant for all health professionals and educators

wanting to embrace an integrated and inclusive framework.

Specifically, the Partnering for Change team used evidence from the literature to design a

tiered service delivery framework. The P4C diagram (see Figure 1) reflects the partnership

that is needed between health professionals, parents, students, and educators to create

environments that facilitate successful participation for all students. Working from a foundation

that focuses on relationship building and sharing of knowledge, the P4C framework guides

health professionals in working collaboratively with educators and families to build capacity to

support students with special needs at school and at home. The response to intervention

pyramid allows provision of services based on need – students with higher needs receive

increasingly intense levels of support. Tier 1 services use principles of universal design for

learning to create accessible curricula and environments that benefit all students; Tier 2

involves differentiating instruction for children who are experiencing challenges; and Tier 3

provides individualized strategies for students who are only able to participate with

accommodation. In this framework, collaboration and intervention occurs in the school

environment.

Integrated School-Based Rehabilitation Services

The P4C is an evidence-based framework that complements the shared

visions of several government ministry initiatives. Its implementation in

three different school boards within two CCACs has proven its relevance

and responsiveness in different regional contexts in Ontario.

“[P4C] will work for not only kids who have coordination

difficulties, but for kids in general.”

“It’s for anyone who really needs assistance.”

(Campbell et al., 2012)

The 4 Cs emphasize the aim of P4C: To build CAPACITY of educators and parents to

support children through COLLABORATION and COACHING in the school CONTEXT

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Integrated School-Based Rehabilitation Services

What does the evidence say about P4C?

To date, three Ontario studies have informed the development and implementation of this framework: a pilot

project (2008-09) funded by the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation; a Demonstration Project (2009-10) funded

by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research; and the current Implementation and Evaluation study (2013-

15) funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

The published results of the demonstration project showed that:

 Educators made positive changes in their knowledge and skills, and were highly satisfied with the

service. The strategies they learned were practical and feasible; they felt greater confidence in being able

to identify children with motor difficulties and speak to parents about concerns; they reported carryover of

strategies to the next academic year (Missiuna et al., 2012b).

 Parents were very satisfied with service and had a better understanding of their child’s needs. Parents

were better able to support their child by using strategies at home, adapting environments, and sharing

information with others (Missiuna et al., 2012b).

 OTs reported a positive change in their beliefs, knowledge and skills. The therapists also indicated a

strong sense of professional growth in this role and reported a feeling of belonging to the school

community (Campbell et al., 2012).

The first year results of the current project showed that:

 15 OTs offering service one day/week in 40 schools (1207 work days) provided:

o 385 educator in-services (formal and informal)

o 704 activities at the whole class level (Tier 1)

o 2980 opportunities to screen small groups of children or trial differentiated instruction (Tier 2)

o 3329 individual accommodation activities for 592 identified children, with knowledge about

how to manage the children’s issues shared with educators and families (Tier 3)

 Elimination of wait lists occurred in most schools in which the P4C service was implemented.

What does this mean for integrated rehabilitation services?

The P4C framework supports all three identified goals of the Special Needs Strategy: early

identification, coordinated service planning, and seamless service delivery. In this model, health

professionals work with educators, right from school entry, to identify children who require support. Services

are coordinated with educators and provided directly in the classroom context, including in the new Full-Day

Kindergarten programs. Streamlined referral processes and ongoing monitoring, along with the regular

presence of the health professional in the school as a point of contact, ensure that children get the services

they need, when they need them. CanChild’s 7-year engagement with health and education partners in

developing the P4C framework is congruent with the vision articulated in “Achieving Excellence: A Renewed

Vision for Education in Ontario” to “work with provincial, regional and local education and health partners to

support optimal delivery of, and access to, services and ongoing health supports for children, youth and

families” (p.16) and to provide “learners the tools they need to reach their full potential, regardless of their

individual circumstances” (Ministry of Education, 2014, p.4).

Learn More:

Missiuna, C., Pollock, N., Levac, D., Campbell, W., Sahagian Whalen, S., Bennett, S.,

Hecimovich, C., Cairney, J., & Russell, D. (2012a). Partnering for Change: An

innovative school-based occupational therapy service delivery model for children with

developmental coordination disorder. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 79,

41-50.

Missiuna, C., Pollock, N., Campbell, W., Bennett, S., Hecimovich, C., Gaines, R.,

DeCola, C., Cairney, J., Russell, D., & Molinaro, E. (2012b). Use of the Medical

Research Council Framework to develop a complex intervention in pediatric

occupational therapy: Assessing feasibility. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 33,

1443-1452.

Campbell, W., Missiuna, C., Rivard, L., & Pollock, N. (2012). “Support for Everyone”:

Experiences of occupational therapists delivering a new model of school-based services.

Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 79, 51-59.

Other Works Cited

Deloitte & Touche. (2010). Review of school health support services: Final report.

Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

Ministry of Children and Youth Services (2014). Ontario’s Special Needs Strategy.

Retrieved November 3, 2014 from:

http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/topics/specialneeds/strategy/index.aspx

Ministry of Education. (2014). Achieving Excellence: A Renewed Vision for Education in

Ontario. Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

Sayers, B. R. (2008). Collaboration in school settings: A critical appraisal of the topic.

Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention, 1, 170-179.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PARTNERING FOR CHANGE:

Dr. Cheryl Missiuna, Principal Investigator

Debra Stewart, Project Manager

Leah Dix, Project Coordinator

Phone: 905-525-9140 x 26896 • Fax: 905-524-0069

Email stew[email protected] • www.canchild.ca

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-term Care for funding the current study.

We acknowledge the strong partnership of Central West, Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant, and

Toronto Central CCACs, who have been instrumental in the success of this project.

We also appreciate the active involvement of leadership, educators, students and families of the

Peel District School Board, the Halton District School Board and the

Hamilton Wentworth Catholic District School Board.