Community and Social Services

SPECIAL SERVICES AT HOME

Objectives:

1. To provide families who have a child or adult with a developmental disability or a child with a physical disability with supports to enable them to care for their children in their home.

2. To decrease the stress of families caring for there disabled child and therefore enable them to continue to care for their child in their home.

3. To assist families to accomplish goals for their child.

Criteria

Children under 18 years of age with a physical disability and children and adults with a developmental disability are eligible for Special Services at Home if they:

• Are residents of Ontario
• Have ongoing functional limitations as a result of a disability;
• Require support beyond that which is a normal family responsibility;
• Are living at home with their family

A professional such as a physician or a psychologist must document the functional limitations.

Services Provided

• A worker to help the parent with feeding or bathing the child with a disability when they are unable to do it for themselves
• A worker to provide a temporary break from care giving for the child or adult. This could involve providing services at the family’s home or out in the community.
• A worker to assist the child in achieving specific goals as determined by the family within the application process. The worker is expected to submit a progress report to the Special Services At Home Agreements Officer.

Application Process

Parents, family members, legal guardians and people with disabilities who are 16 years of age and over may apply either on their own or with the assistance of another person or agency. KACL will assist with this process.

Application forms can be picked up at the KACL office or the Ministry of Community and Social Services Roberson Street office. The Application Form provides families and people with a disability with an opportunity to outline their current situation, state their needs, current services, goals and requests.

Ministry of Community and Social Services staff review each application and make decisions and set priorities based on;

· The needs of each family

· The budget that the Ministry has

· Whether other supports can be used

· The income of the family is not considered

KACL’s Children’s Services staff assist in providing training for the Special Services workers through one day workshops. We also provide support and training to parents on administering their Special Services contract including how to hire and supervise workers for children.

For Further information and Aopplicaton Forms