REGINA, Sask. — Families and education professionals gathered in Regina on Oct. 20 to discuss barriers preventing some Saskatchewan children with disabilities from attending school full time and how to better support students with complex mental health needs.
A report from Inclusion Saskatchewan titled Unseen Impacts: The Reality of School Exclusion for Disabled Students in Saskatchewan estimated that about one in nine students with intensive support needs were excluded from school on a part- or full-time basis during the 2024-25 school year.
Joshua Tree Learning Centre founder and CEO Stacey Adelman hosted the discussion, which focused on barriers to full-time school attendance and the need for greater collaboration between education and community organizations.
“It’s our responsibility to learn about how we can support and welcome people of all abilities in our communities,” Adelman said.
She said addressing the issue requires more than changes within schools or government.
“We need to get all of the sectors and communities aligned. We can’t just keep looking at education and government — we need to come together and align the system so we can better support families.”
Amy Scott-Wawro, a speech-language pathologist, said better training for education staff is one area that needs attention.
“One of the aspects I think about is training of staff. I think that starts at the education staff. Teachers specifically are done a disservice by not getting enough information,” she said.
Scott-Wawro called for more in-depth training on neurodiversity and the different needs students may bring into the classroom, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and mental health challenges.
Heather Brownell, a parent of a child with autism, said her child made it through the school system, but she remains concerned about other students who cannot access education full time.
“Every kid deserves the chance to be in school — it’s mandated by the law — they have to have access to an education,” Brownell said.
She said creative approaches could help teachers accommodate students and ensure they can participate in learning.
However, Brownell said meaningful improvements will require additional resources.
“There is no easy solution to this. We need more money. We need more teachers. We need more EAs (educational assistants). We need more support,” she said. “It’s not going to be fixed today, but I think it’s a really good starting point.”
The panel, moderated by Sarah Fedirko, director of alumni and donor engagement at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, also included Brittany Acton, director of initiatives at Inclusion Saskatchewan, who participated via Zoom, and Terry Jordens, superintendent of student services with Holy Family School Division.
Adelman said bringing different sectors together was an important first step toward developing solutions that better support children and their families.
