Support from the Start
Reinstate Early Intervention Funding For Kids in Alberta
Make Your Voice Heard
Please take one minute to voice your concerns and help ensure access to early intervention funding and services for children are put back in place.
2019 budget cuts for students with delays and disabilities have significantly impacted the quality of programming and services available to preschool and kindergarten students in our province.
Reduced funding for early intervention supports, including occupational therapy (OT) services for our youngest learners means kids are falling behind.
We support equality for all children living in Alberta. OT services are essential for children with disabilities as they often require extra support to integrate successfully into classrooms and communities.
Let’s get early education funding reinstated. No child should be left behind!
What is Early Intervention Funding?
The goal of early intervention programs and supports is to identify young students (typically between 2 and 5 years of age) who would benefit from specialized help before they enter first grade. The earlier kids receive these services, the better their chances for success at school.
Financial resources for early intervention are often used to:
- Hire healthcare professionals like occupational and physical therapists, speech language pathologists and psychologists.
- Hire Inclusive Education Teachers and Educational Assistants
- Provide professional development for educational staff
- Run programs to engage and educate families
- Purchase specialized equipment, tools, and classroom materials
What happened to Early Intervention Funding in Alberta?
Thanks to budget cuts beginning in 2019, early intervention funding in Alberta has been drastically reduced for students with delays and disabilities.
A Breakdown of Budget Cuts:
1. Funding for preschool students with severe disabilities has been cut from 3 years of support to 2 years in the public school system.
- Children who do not receive adequate support in preschool will enter kindergarten with no previous programming or intervention.
- Those with developmental delays or undiagnosed disabilities may not be identified or offered assistance until their kindergarten year.
- Many of these children will require extensive support from the first day of kindergarten
2. An unreasonable standard of 800 hours of instructional time is now required for early childhood education programs to qualify for full funding.
- Despite calls for the introduction of full-day kindergarten in Alberta, most kindergarten programs in our province operate on a half-day schedule.
- Only 475 hours of instructional time are typically offered, leaving the vast majority of programs without the full funding they received in the past
- Without adequate financial support, further reductions in the availability of occupational therapy and other services have occurred.
- Read more here.
3. Funding for important family-oriented programming (FOPS) was discontinued. FOPS allowed for communication, collaboration and continuity of intervention between home and school staff.
- Parents and caregivers had time to ask questions and learn skills from the teachers and professionals at school.
- School staff were able to personalize learning after finding out more about their student’s home and family life.
- Without FOPS, there is often a disconnect between home and school. The opportunity to work closely as a team has been lost.
4. Deep cuts have been made to funding for students with mild to moderate delays and disabilities.
- Mild moderate funding has been eliminated except for those with moderate language delays.
- This has drastically reduced the supports available in preschool and kindergarten classrooms, which used to benefit from more regular OT collaboration.
- OT-led classroom sessions like whole-class lessons, small group work and centre-time activities were greatly decreased by the budget cuts. These activities focused on promoting wellness and preventing challenges in young children. OT programming covered a range of topics from social-thinking and emotional regulation to scissor skills and printing letters.
Before and After, a Snapshot of OT Support
Without the funding needed to provide comprehensive care to all students, OT services for early learners have been greatly limited. Where therapists could once work hands on with students, OT support has been largely reduced to consultation with educators.
Creative sessions run by an OT are now exceptions rather than the rule. Students and teachers miss out on experiential learning activities like customized sensory bins, social thinking games, body break demonstrations, engaging art projects and much more.
Without the necessary funding, most OT services now consist of a brief student observation and a list of recommendations left behind. The additional follow up and coaching that teachers and assistants need to build their skills is rarely possible.
Families Left on Their Own
Without early intervention support from schools, families must fill the gap on their own. Very few can afford costly private assessment and treatment, forcing most parents to use the public healthcare system or go without the therapies their children need. Navigating community healthcare options is complicated, stressful and time-consuming.
Teachers No Longer Supported
Reduced early-intervention funding means less support for teachers from specialists like occupational therapists. This situation puts immense pressure on educators already struggling to meet complex student needs in overcrowded classrooms.
Not only are far fewer students receiving support, but their teachers and educational assistants lose the opportunity to learn from an OT. Educators working alongside OTs gain skills they can use throughout their careers, touching the lives of thousands of children.
Sadly, budget cuts have greatly reduced the number of classrooms OTs can visit. According to 2022-2023 ATA Rapid Research study, 56% of teachers reported a decline in support for students with exceptionalities. Students losing services means teachers miss out on the resources, tools and techniques shared by school OTs.
Some Kids Will Fall Through the Cracks
Jackson
Jackson is a bright and curious 5-year-old kindergartener. He was diagnosed with a moderate speech delay.
Jackson loves playing with his friends at school, climbing the playground and singing songs. He likes school but needs a lot of help to take care of himself. He has been having more trouble with academic tasks lately. Thanks to early-intervention cuts, Jackson is no longer eligible for the supports he needs to be successful.
JACKSON’S STORY
Jackson can’t get his coat or shoes on by himself. It is hard for him to wait for help from the teacher. He hates being the last one ready to play outside! At snack time, Jackson can’t open his food containers and packages. He sometimes runs out of time to eat.
Things got worse when Jackson’s class started learning to write letters. He doesn’t know how to hold his pencil and is embarrassed that he can’t write his name like his friends. Jackson feels overwhelmed when his teacher asks him to get out his pencil. He has started hiding under his desk or trying to run home from school.
Jackson’s parents and teacher are worried but aren’t sure how to help. Because of cuts to early intervention, Jackson will not receive the occupational therapy he needs to be happy and successful at school.
BUDGET CUTS
Prior to the budget cuts, Jackson’s trouble using his hands effectively (fine motor delays) would have been considered in addition to his language delay. He would have qualified for more than double the funding he currently receives. Jackson and his teacher would have benefitted from substantially better classroom support, including OT services.
HOW AN OT MAY HAVE HELPED JACKSON
If Jackson had access to an occupational therapist, they may have:
- Shown Jackson’s teacher the best way to teach life skills like
- Brought fun activities to build strength and coordination in Jackson’s hands so he could learn to hold his pencil, put on his coat and open his snacks
- Run a small-group to teach Jackson and his classmates how to manage their big feelings at school
Olivia
Olivia is a playful 4 year old attending preschool. She loves trains, dinosaurs and building with blocks. Olivia is overwhelmed by the busy preschool environment and avoids other kids.
Due to early intervention funding cuts, Olivia’s preschool no longer receives full funding and OT services were reduced. Olivia will not have an OT to help her overcome her sensory sensitivity or teach her how to play with others.
OLIVIA’S STORY
Olivia was nervous when she got to preschool in the fall. She wanted to play with all the new toys, but the loud sounds hurt her ears! There were other kids yelling and running all around her. Although she has had some time to settle, she still can’t concentrate. Olivia often keeps to the corner of the classroom covering her ears. Music and gym class are even harder for her to handle.
Olivia wants to play with the other kids, but isn’t sure how to join in their games. They seem to be having so much fun but it is awfully loud and busy. Olivia still hasn’t made any friends at school. When her teacher tries to help Olivia join other kids in play, she just backs away.
Olivia no longer wants to go to school. She refuses to get out of the car in the morning. She doesn’t want her mom to leave! Olivia cries and begs to go home where it is calm and quiet. The situation is heartbreaking for Olivia’s family and teacher.
BUDGET CUTS
Like most preschools in Alberta, Olivia’s school only offers half-days for students. 2019 funding changes increased the requirement for instructional hours to an unreasonable level for such young children. As a result, Olivia’s program no longer qualifies for full funding. The school division reduced costs by cutting services like OT and speech language pathology.
HOW AN OT MAY HAVE HELPED OLIVIA
An occupational therapist may have helped Olivia by:
- Providing noise-cancelling ear covers for Olivia to wear as needed
- Helped Olivia’s teacher set up a quiet corner retreat in the classroom with tools to help her calm her body
- Taught social-skills to small groups or the whole class
- Helped school staff create a routine for Olivia to help ease her morning transition to school, meet her need for quiet and calm and allow for full participation at school
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy is a type of health care that helps to solve the problems that interfere with a person’s ability to do the things that are important to them – everyday things like:
- Self-care – getting dressed, eating, moving around the house,
- Being productive – going to work or school, participating in the community, and
- Leisure activities – sports, gardening, social activities.
Occupational therapists, often called OTs, are the primary providers of occupational therapy services. OTs are:
- university educated professionals that apply their specialized knowledge and skills to recommend a course of preventive or corrective action that will help people lead more productive and satisfying lives,
- trained to understand not only the medical and physical limitations of a disability or injury, but also the psychosocial factors that affect the functioning of the whole person – their health and their wellness, and
- a regulated medical profession; occupational therapists must be registered with their provincial regulator in order to practice legally in Canada.
How does Occupational Therapy help?
An occupational therapist will try to find out why a client cannot do what they would like or need to do. An OT may check:
- Your physical abilities like strength, balance and coordination
- Your mental abilities like memory, coping strategies, organizational skills
- What materials or devices you use to participate in activities like furniture, utensils, tools or clothes
- What social and emotional support is available to you at home, school, work or in the community, and
- The physical setup of your house, classroom, workplace or other environment
Depending on what the problem is, the occupational therapist can help you solve it by:
- Helping you overcome your disability. OTs do this by:
- educating or instructing you on how to do things with the abilities you have – e.g. getting around your community in a wheelchair
- suggesting activities that will help you improve or maintain the abilities you have – e.g. improving your coping strategies
- Adapting the materials you use. OTs do this by changing the things you use:
- around the house – e.g. a special key holder to make turning keys easier
- in sports or leisure activities – e.g. a playing cards holder
- at work or school – e.g. special tools that help prevent injury to hands and back
- to take care of yourself – e.g. special bath or toilet seats
- to get from place to place – e.g. car modifications such as one-handed steering wheels
- Recommending changes to the environments where you do your everyday activities. OTs do this by recommending that you:
- change the physical layout of your workplace, home or school – e.g. lowering/raising desktops, countertops or cupboards
- find out about the supports in your community – e.g. specialized public transportation
- work with the people in your community – e.g. providing education about a disability to the teacher or employer
- work with the government to encourage health living – e.g. request funding for special equipment
Through client-centred care, occupational therapists not only help overcome barriers but help prevent:
- unnecessary hospital stays and readmissions
- premature moves to a nursing home
- work injuries due to poor workstation positioning and other organizational strains
- school dropouts due to poor attention spans or reading and writing difficulties
- unemployment among people with a developmental disability or a mental illness
Occupational Therapy At School
School-based OTs help children and educators through:
- Assessment: evaluating student’s delays and difficulties and identifying areas for improvement. This is done through:
- Observation
- Interviewing teachers and educational assistants
- Informal screening and standardized testing
- Skill building:
- Directly teaching and helping students develop skills (most-often through play)
- Providing educators with effective teaching strategies
- Accommodating for differences: Teaching educators how to adapt tasks, environments and tools to suit the unique needs of their students
- Adapting tasks: Providing a “just right” level of challenge by: changing classroom work, breaking assignments into pieces, providing visual supports or organizational strategies
- Modifying the environment: Considering student’s location in the classroom, organization of materials and sensory features of the space (light, sound, movement), ensuring access for kids with mobility devices
- Recommending materials and equipment
- Special seating like rocking chairs, wobble stools or wiggle cushions
- Voice to text software and applications
- Pencil grasps and adaptive scissors
School-based OTs help children and educators to improve skills and cope with challenges in a wide variety of areas like:
-
- Self care: feeding, toileting, dressing
- Following classroom routines and expectations
- Executive functioning skills: planning and sequencing tasks, prioritizing, impulse control, attention and focus, organizing materials
- Sensory processing: helping kids with sensitivity to bright lights, loud noises or busy school environments, teaching adults to create sensory friendly spaces, recommending strategies for kids who need more sensation (like movement) to learn
- Regulation of emotions and activity levels: handling big feelings and keeping a calm body
- Fine Motor skills: pencil grasp, writing, typing, using scissors
- Gross Motor skills and mobility: playing in gym, climbing on the playground , getting around the school (balance, coordination, strength)
- Visual Perceptual Skills: identifying letters, doing puzzles, matching shapes
- Social and Play Skills: playing with friends, taking turns, problem-solving
Additional Articles and Resources
Budget Cut Information:
Alberta school boards lobby to reinstate funding program for children with disabilities: CBC News
‘A step backwards’: Parent advocates say changes to PUF will lead to segregation of special needs kids: CBC News
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/program-unit-funding-specialized-learning-support-1.5481009
Budget 2020 restores some cuts but still leaves boards short: Alberta Teacher’s Association:
A Growing Need for Better Funding:
Parents and Trustees hope voters consider deteriorating conditions in Alberta schools: CBC News
Alberta school boards say they shouldn’t be using savings to pay teachers: CBC News
OT at School:
Download the SAOT Occupational Therapy in Alberta Schools booklet
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Together, our voice can make a difference!
Please take one minute to tell your MLA or School Board Chair to bring back early education funding. You are free to add a few sentences or words to our message content or to re-write the message in your own words. You can also review and pull from the background information below.
Share why this issue matters to you personally.
- Are you the parent of a child who will be impacted?
- Are you a teacher with first-hand experience of how OTs have helped children in your school?
- Do you believe the government should ensure access to the supports kids need to be successful at school and in the community?
Thank you for taking action for children and families in Alberta!
Hear from a parent
Hear from a teacher
Hear from an OT
Action is Needed Now!
In the absence of OT support in ECS, children who are currently “at risk” are more likely to develop complex needs and face the reality of not being able to “catch up” to their same-aged peers. We define “at risk” children as those children experiencing physical, cognitive and/or emotional barriers to success.
OT services play an integral role in school classrooms and in ECS programs in particular.
We support all children to gain independence. OTs work alongside educators to create inclusive environments and deliver evidence-based strategies with proven outcomes. With reduced access to OT services, children with disabilities and their families will struggle to integrate successfully into their classroom and school communities. Children who are currently “at risk” are more likely to develop complex needs than they are to catch up with same-aged peers.
SUPPORT FROM THE START
Society of Alberta Occupational Therapists