TITLE:
Leaders’ Visions of Rehabilitation Services for Children in Ontario’s Schools: Effective Collaboration between Education and Health Sectors
AUTHORS:
Karen E. Shannon, Heidi Cramm, Alison McDonnell, Beata Batorowicz
KEYWORDS:
Leaders, Collaboration, Health, Education, School-Based Rehabilitation
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.9 No.11,
November
9,
2021
ABSTRACT: Leaders in Ontario’s district school boards (DSBs) and children’s
treatment centers (CTC’s) share responsibility for rehabilitation therapy services
in inclusive schools. Children with or at risk of disability rely on these
services to enable their participation in learning and social environments. The
aim of this study was to explore how leaders in DSBs, CTCs and the community
envision effective collaboration in rehabilitation therapy services to advance
collaboration in service of children with or at risk of disability and their
families. Seven 90-minute online semi-structured focus groups were conducted
involving a total of 36 education, community and health leaders and data were
analyzed thematically. An eighth focus group comprised
of representatives from the seven previous groups was conducted to validate the
findings and develop recommendations. Three themes were established:
collaboration is a relational and intentional process, forging a path forward
to serve children with rehabilitation therapy needs, and leaders’ attributes
needed to effect change. The participants recommended the following next steps:
clarifying provincial standards for services including roles of all partners,
knowledge building within schools, and utilizing existing evidence-based tools.
A shared vision of rehabilitation therapy
services is needed for effective collaboration between health and education
sectors. Future research should involve leaders from health and education
sectors, with parents, children and other partners in
co-designing, implementing, and evaluating rehabilitation services in schools.