Parents
The Importance of Parent Involvement in Supporting Their Child’s Development and Inclusion
Parent involvement plays an essential role in a child’s overall development and in the success of their inclusive learning journey. Parents are the first experts on their child. They understand their child’s strengths, interests, needs, and unique ways of learning. Active parent participation helps create continuity between home, early learning environments, and the broader community.
When parents work closely with educators and professionals, they help foster a deeper understanding of their child’s needs and support the implementation of strategies adapted to their individual pace of learning. This collaboration promotes a consistent and supportive environment that nurtures the child’s well-being, confidence, and independence.
Inclusion goes beyond simply participating in a program; it means feeling welcomed, understood, and valued. Parent engagement help to:
- Share observations and knowledge about their child’s development
- Support consistent strategies between home and the educational setting
- Encourage learning through play and daily routines
- Promote open communication with educators and professionals
By working together, families and early learning environments create the conditions for meaningful participation, while respecting each child’s unique way of learning and developing.
Resources and services
Your child has just received a diagnosis…
A diagnosis IS:
- A tool to better understand your child
- A foundation for adapting support
- Access to resources, rights, and assistance
A diagnosis IS NOT:
- A label that defines your child
- A limit to their future
- A mistake or a parental failure
Your child is, above all, still a child — with their strengths, interests, and unique personality.
Resources
CHEO-Autism
Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) provides assessment, diagnosis, and support services for children and youth with autism. Their Autism Program offers clinical care, family education, and connections to community services in Eastern Ontario.
Self-Reg Parents
The MEHRIT Centre (home of Self-Reg) offers resources for parents to understand and manage children’s stress and behavior through the Self-Reg framework, developed by Stuart Shanker. The approach focuses on identifying stressors and building self-regulation skills.
Geneva Centre for Autism
Geneva Centre for Autism provides educational materials, workshops, and community-based supports for individuals with autism and their families. Resources include toolkits, training sessions, and professional development opportunities.
Learning Bites - Sonderly
Sonderly offers short, practical online learning modules (“Learning Bites”) designed to help parents and educators better understand autism and apply supportive strategies in everyday settings.
Signature Series | Autism Ontario
Autism Ontario hosts the Signature Series—webinars and expert-led presentations covering topics such as diagnosis, mental health, education, and lifespan supports for individuals with autism.
The Hanen Centre – Early Communication Development
The Hanen Centre offers parent-focused programs that teach strategies to support early language, social communication, and literacy development. Their approach empowers parents to build communication skills during everyday interactions.
Downloads and Visuals – Sonderly
Sonderly provides downloadable visual supports, guides, and tools designed to help autistic children with communication, routines, emotional regulation, and social understanding.
F-Words Training Program
The CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research developed the F-Words for Child Development framework (Function, Family, Fitness, Fun, Friends, Future). The training program helps professionals and families apply a strengths-based, participation-focused approach to supporting children with disabilities.
Services
Ontario Autism Program – OAP
A provincial program that provides direct funding to families of autistic children and youth. Families must register to access financial support for eligible services such as therapy, specialized programs, and other supports based on the child’s individual needs.
CHEO Autism Services
Offers a variety of assessment and intervention programs for autistic children and youth, including specialized clinical services, skill development programs, and family support.
Autism Ontario – OAP Provider List
A provincial organization that provides information, advocacy, and community support. Its online OAP Provider List allows families to search for approved professionals and service providers offering autism-related services across Ontario.
QuickStart – Early Childhood Autism Program
An early intervention program designed for young children recently diagnosed with autism, focusing on developing communication, social interaction, and play skills.
Valoris
Provides assistance with completing financial support applications, including funding for respite services, summer camps, and specialized March break camps, as well as other community-based supports.
Speech and Language Services | EOHU | Public Health
Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) provides publicly funded speech and language services for infants and preschool children. Services include screening, assessment, early intervention, and parent coaching to support communication development.
Regroupement Autisme Prescott-Russell
A community organization offering support, information, advocacy, and activities for autistic individuals and their families in the Prescott-Russell region.
CIFEO-IFCEO
A French-language organization that supports families of children with special needs by providing information, guidance, and educational activities that promote inclusion and child development.
Blind Low Vision
This provincial program provides early intervention services for infants and young children who are blind or have low vision. Services include vision and developmental assessment, family support, strategies to promote learning and independence and referrals to specialized community resources, The goal is to support the child’s overall development during the early years.
Procedure for Requesting Inclusion Services
A parent who wishes to obtain inclusion services for their child must inform the director or the person in charge of the childcare center.
A meeting may be scheduled to discuss the child’s needs and the accommodation measures being considered.
Following the meeting, an official request for the Inclusion services may be completed, in accordance with current procedures. The childcare service may assist the parent with:
- Collecting the required documents, if applicable;
- Preparing and submitting the document necessary;
When the request is approved, the childcare service, in collaboration with the parent, the professionals involved, and the inclusion counsellor, implements the necessary measures to promote the child’s active participation and well-being.
These measures may include:
- Adaptations to the environment or materials;
- Additional support;
- Specific educational strategies.
Periodic follow-up is conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the measures implemented and to make any necessary adjustments, in collaboration with the parent.