The 'Plan' is on it's way......fingers crossed!

Well it’s been a few weeks since CHCs letter turned up and our mitigating response is now complete. We're well within the 60-day time limit but I figured we've had enough delays along the way already and if we've any chance of landing before our medicals run out we can't afford any more. It’s fair to say that this is all a bit of a guessing game when it comes to what they want to see? Unlike the other families who I know have been down this road, we don’t have the option to refute everything that’s been said. At the end of the day Amber does need a degree of help and there’s no way of avoiding the issue. To that end, we’ve tried to show that we’ve provided for her needs rather than negate them. So, today our response went off in the post, all 40 odd pages of it. If nothing else it may bore them into letting us in.....lol. Seriously though, we've covered everything that they highlighted and I can't see (famous last words) how they can find fault with it. We've proved we have a credible solution and the funds to pay for it; the only subjective bit is whether they decide we have the 'intent' to see it through....

The Plan:

1. We provided a letter from the district school board (where we intend to live) refuting the need for a psychological or S&L assessment and saying that in their opinion Amber could be taught in their schools, in a regular classroom environment, using their extant special education resources. It’s been produced by the Principal of Special Education having read the same documents as were provided to CiC when they wrote their report.

2. We provided Amber’s latest school report showing the progress she has made this year.

3. We provided a 3 page letter from Principal at our chosen private elementary school offering Amber a place and listing in detail everything about the school, it’s teachers, their qualifications, the curriculum, the enrolment and assessment process, developing an IEP – you get the picture. The school has a Learning Resource Program and a Special Education Resource Teacher (who used to work for the school board above). The school has access to a Speech & Language Pathologist (S&LP), registered with the College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario (CASPLO). They also use the services of a local Psychologist who is a member of the College of Psychologists of Ontario and a qualified psychologist dealing with children. The school also has a child in the same grade as Amber, who has Asperger’s and is doing excellently. The average class size is 12 compared to 30 where she is now.

4. We provided a 3 page letter from the Principal at our chosen private secondary school containing the same info as above and offering Amber a place once she’s finished elementary. The school has exactly the same facilities as before and is affiliated with our chosen elementary school. They have taught a number of children with Asperger’s, all of which have gone on and gained their diplomas. The average class size is 18.

5. We provided letters of introduction from the S&L Therapist and Psychologist (see Section 3), detailing their proposed plans to assess Amber upon arrival and the costs associated with their services etc.

6. We provided a letter of introduction from Autism Ontario (non-publicly funded) explaining the services, support, counselling and respite activities that they will provide us with when we arrive. This all comes as part of the $50 membership fee.

7. Finally, we’ve provided proof that we can fund the above (estimated at $15,000 per year) based on wages of $64,000 per year, a $22,000 per year pension and $340,000 in cash.

.........all we can do now is sit, wait, and chew on what little nails we have left.