Developmental disabilities town hall meeting.  February 09, 2017.  (Photo by Paul Pedro)Developmental disabilities town hall meeting. February 09, 2017. (Photo by Paul Pedro)
Windsor

Parents With Developmentally Disabled Children Are Fed Up

Dozens of parents are calling on the province for innovative housing to support disabled young adults after their parents become too old to care for them or die.

The parents voiced their concerns during a developmental disabilities meeting in Windsor Thursday night, and called for no restraining in school, as well as better training for teachers.

Some parents are calling the system "insane" and "broken" and say "the school system is failing because teachers don't understand disabilities" and often "exclude or expel children" for acting out.

Windsor-West MPP Lisa Gretzky says "they're not bad kids, they just need more support" and often "end up incarcerated" later in life when they don't get it.

Others want a provincial office called the Developmental Services of Ontario gone saying "it's too bureaucratic" and sky-high salaries are "taking away money from children" with autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and down syndrome who need it most.

"The education system needs to be better funded," says Gretzky because some teachers are wearing Kevlar gear and spit shields instead of getting the proper training.

Gretzky adds school boards "can't look the other way any longer" and must address the training issue.

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