Research matters... for Children

This website is a place where we are sharing research for the benefit of kids.

  • All communities in Canada have governments, educators, and community organizations who provide services for disabled children. We believe that for disabled children to take part in their community, organizations have to think specifically about disability.
  • It is your right to have people who make decisions consider you and you have a right to have a say in how that happens.
  • In research we have learned that children and families have to fit into the services that exist, specifically the ones designed for disability. These webpages are about the idea that services should fit to you.

Image description

The background of the illustration is displaying a map of Canada. Disabled children and adults are placed across the country. Various assistive devices are being used by the children (e.g. hats, eye glasses, strollers, canes, crutches, walkers, helmets, and iPads). Adults are present in relationship to some of the young disabled children. One young person is communicating with American Sign Language (ASL). The children and adults have diverse identities in relation to disability, race, age, gender, religion, body size, and height.

Your opinion matters... for Children
  • What you say matters and you should be listened to.
  • You can ask questions and you should be given answers.
  • You should receive accessible information, meaning it should be explained to you in a way that you can understand. If you don’t understand it the first time, it is important that it is explained in different ways.
  • In many cases, children aren’t heard or a part of decision-making processes. Instead, there is often a pre-existing list of services which families must choose from.
  • Children’s preferences and input are often not sought out in policy and procedural decisions.

Image Description

A group of professionals, adults, and young disabled children are present in a meeting. There are two people standing at the front of the room next to a slide that says “list of services…choose one”. A group of five people, including disabled children and adults, are sitting around a table with papers in front of them and looking at the slide at the front of the room. The individuals at the front of the room and those around the table are talking to each other. Various assistive devices are being used by the children (e.g. eye glasses, cochlear implants, and canes). The children and adults have diverse identities in relation to disability, race, age, gender, religion, body size, and height.

You matter... for Children
  • You are an important part of your communities.
  • You should have adults in these communities who care about you and help you.
  • You have a right to have friends and peers who are understanding or share your experience.
  • You can choose what you want to take part in.

Image Description

A group of young disabled children are standing and sitting around a large wooden table with square and circular holes. Some of the children are holding pegs that are square or circular and trying to put them into the round holes in the table. Various assistive devices are being used by the children (e.g. eye glasses, cochlear implants, wheelchairs, hats, and helmets). The children have diverse identities in relation to disability, race, age, gender, religion, body size, and height.

Disability matters... for Children
  • You have the right to embrace who you are.
  • You have the right to know other people who have similar experiences to you.
  • Disability may be a part of who you are and it should be valued. It is also important to remember that your disability does not define you. There are many parts of you that should be celebrated and recognized.
  • Definitions of disabled childhoods often fail to recognize disability as part of your identity. These definitions do not recognize cultural, spiritual, and social identities or the characteristics and capabilities of disabled children.

Image Description

A young disabled child is displayed with two parts of their identity. On the right side of the image, half of the child is using a wheelchair. On the left side of the image, the child is sitting on a blue couch. On the left side, different interests of the child are displayed such as a tennis racquet, globe, paint can and paintbrush, pink book, and cat. The child has a dark brown skin tone. The child has black hair which is only displayed on the left side of the image.

Your health and learning matter... for Children
  • You should be able to get the services and support you need to help you learn and grow.
  • These services and supports should make you feel good about your place in the community and who you are.
  • You should have access to adults and peers that can help you.
  • You should have access to services and supports no matter where you live and no matter what your experience is with disability.
  • Some families have to choose between accessing intervention services and other programs, including programs that are important to their culture and language.
  • For young children, it can be hard to access ASL and information about sign language and deaf culture. It is important to support the identity of deaf children.
  • You should not feel discriminated against or left out because of disability or any other parts of who you are.

Image Description

Disabled preschool aged children and adults are present in a preschool classroom. The room is painted blue, pink, yellow, and green. There is a bookshelf in the back left corner. One child with a cane and eye glasses is taking a book off of the bookshelf. In front of the bookshelf, there is one child sitting alone on the ground with headphones on, and reading a book. Next to this child, there is a table with a group of children engaging in different activities. One child is painting, and a group of two children are sitting together reading a book. In front of the table, one child is alone lying down on the floor with their feet on a stool. To the right of the book shelf, a child with a walker is being accompanied by an adult as they walk across the room. In front of them, there is a group of 2 children and one adult is signing. One child is signing while sitting on a small stool, the other child and adult are sitting on the floor while signing. In the back right corner, one child is sitting alone at a table looking at a book. In the front right corner of the room, there is a pink carpet with one child in a helmet lying on their stomach, and another child working with an adult. The adult is sitting behind the child with their hands under the arms of the child. There is a ball and a walker next to the carpet, and puzzle pieces on the carpet. Various assistive devices are being used by the children (e.g. eye glasses, headphones, canes, walkers, cochlear implants, hats, and helmets). The children and adults have diverse identities in relation to disability, race, age, gender, religion, body size, and height.