Epilepsy Ontario is urging parents of elementary and high-school students living with epilepsy — as well as high-school students who have the condition — to participate in an online survey to help establish the level of support schools in the province are providing children and youths affected by seizure disorders.
Aside from providing important information about students with epilepsy, participation in the survey will also send the province a collective message from the families of the estimated 10,000 children and youths in Ontario living with the condition, says Epilepsy Ontario executive director Rozalyn Werner-Arcé.
“This is their opportunity to tell their perspective of how well schools support their students with epilepsy as well as to provide input on strengths and opportunities for improvement,” she says.
Epilepsy Ontario has teamed up with other provincial advocacy organizations to ensure that the voices of families are heard in the surveys. These include Anaphylaxis Canada, the Asthma Society of Canada, the Ontario Lung Association and the Canadian Diabetes Association. The surveys provide a focus on each condition.
Areas examined in the surveys include policies and procedures, staff awareness and resources offered at school to support students.
In April, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care announced the province would be undertaking an assessment to review how these medical conditions are handled in schools.
The surveys are the result of the collective efforts of the partnering advocacy organizations.
To date, Werner-Arcé says families are indicating inconsistent levels of support throughout the province.
“Some schools work with families to determine the best way to support children, but that hasn’t been the experience of all Ontario families,” she says. “Our hope is that the survey results will demonstrate the need for legislation to protect children and ensure they are safe at school.”
There is one survey for students in grades nine to 12 and another for parents, and both are available in English and French. The surveys can be completed until Nov. 28. The surveys were developed by the Ontario Physical and Health Education Association (Ophea), in co-operation with the Ontario government.
The surveys can be accessed in the following formats:
English version for students
French version for students
English version for parents
French version for parents
Writer: Deron Hamel
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