Professional intervention
Depending on a child’s needs, parents may meet various professionals who will intervene on an ad hoc or regular basis with the child. It is important to discuss access to these professionals with the school administration as they can provide important in-school support to the student.
The guidance counsellor is an expert in assessing the student’s psychological resources, personal resources and environmental conditions. He supports the student in the discovery of their personality traits, values and interests, to allow them to persevere in school and find their place in society.
The occupational therapist helps the student with daily school life (learning, relationships with others, development in general, etc.), through a fine analysis of his abilities.
In short, the role of the occupational therapist is to
- Support development of students with special needs (anxiety, posture, dyslexia, dyspraxia, etc.).
- Equip the school team (including teachers) to help the student develop different skills.
- Create a stimulating, healthy and safe environment.
- Help stakeholders and professionals better understand the medical factors that limit the student’s academic functioning.
– Ordre des ergothérapeutes du Québec (in French)
– L’ergothérapeute en milieu scolaire (in French)
The speech language assistant works with children with language learning disabilities and participates in the implementation of the Individualized Education Plan, acting in support of the speech language pathologist.
The special education teacher is a professional who works with children, teenagers or adults who learn differently. Interested in the learner’s overall development, the special education teacher is called upon to prevent, identify and correct learning difficulties, and works to awaken the student to their own learning style so that they develop self-confidence.
The speech language pathologist helps people of all ages with speech, language, communication, learning and swallowing difficulties (chewing or swallowing) to encourage their independence, well-being and integration into their living environments. The SLP can make the assessment, draw a conclusion and make recommendations, and can also provide rehabilitation, be consulted for counselling services or for promotional or prevention services, whether individual or collective.
The SLP works with a variety of clients with difficulties of various origins that can lead to more serious disorders.
The attendant assists students with disabilities and supports their participation in the school, whether it is related to school activities or not. He can assist the student in his movements and ensure his well-being, hygiene and safety according to his needs, or according to an Individualized Education Plan.
The psycho-educator works with students who have adjustment or behaviours difficulties. They promote the development of coping skills in difficult situations by building on the strengths of students. In practical terms, psycho-educators:
- help screen and identify students in difficulty and then meet with them as needed.
- assess students’ adjustment difficulties to target needs and determine intervention objectives.
- support the school team to achieve the proposed strategies.
The psychologist is an expert in behaviour, perceptions, emotions, learning and mental health, and can assess and intervene with people experiencing psychological distress, difficulties in their interpersonal system, learning or behaviour, self-regulation or mental health disorders. The psychologist can intervene with students, parents, principals and all professionals in the school.
The special education technician (TES) works with people with physical, intellectual or pervasive developmental disabilities, behavioural disorders or mental health problems.
Social workers help people and communities who are experiencing problems, whether they are related to difficult situations, crisis or everyday life. The school’s social worker provides individual and group support, consultations with teachers and various services that help students overcome their difficulties. It liaises between school settings, parents and the health and social services system.