Our Policies

Our guidance and our values and principles guide the work we do with persons served. Our role is always to support individuals in realizing their goals.

Our Guidance Policy:

1. We believe that individuals have the right:

• To be treated with dignity and respect.
• To learn and develop in the least restrictive and most appropriate environment possible.

2. We believe that behaviour, even challenging behaviour is a form of communication. We try to be proactive in meeting an individual’s need and teach replacement behaviours.

3. Seclusion and restraint are NEVER USED.

Our goal is always to support individuals in realizing their goals, not to punish them for unmet expectations. We use positive behaviour supports that are designed for each person and situation.

Specific approaches may include:

• Provide choices
• Adapt environments and approaches
• Set clear and simple limits
• De-escalate and redirect challenging behaviour
• Promote positive social interactions

Values and Principles:

Family centered / Person centered practice:

• Families know their children best and have the right and responsibility to advocate for them.
• Family-centered practice aims to support and strengthen parents’ abilities to nurture and enhance their child’s well-being and development. Families will be encouraged to participate to the best of their ability.
• Each person is entitled to respect and dignity.
• Each person has something to contribute in their home community.
• Caring relationships enhance any person’s quality of life.
• Confidentiality will be maintained at ALL times.

Individual planning

• All programs are based on cooperatively developed goals according to the individual needs of the persons served.
• Shared responsibility: ‘It takes a community”
• Early provision of team planning and support services contributes to each person’s development. Service providers are a key partner in community collaboration and program planning. Individualized supports guide the planning. Some children, youth, and adults may require extra supports to be included with their peers.

Choices

• Inclusion supports the rights of all people, to participate actively within their communities. All families and individuals have the right to make choices within their communities.
• All persons have the right to full community inclusion.