July 3, 2019, Today's Northumberland, Ontario: Today’s Statement from the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services Todd Smith https://www.todaysnorthumberland.ca/2019/07/03/statement-from-the-minister-of-children-community-and-social-services-todd-smith/?fbclid=IwAR1hdtM9HxyzSyKzZ8P4B7B8MBzH0OEmIMSCvyTOJLyn5xAUdTF80m5i3yU Supporting Ontario Children and Families Living with Autism This morning, the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, Todd Smith, stood with his colleagues, Christine Elliott, Minister of Health, and Jill Dunlop, Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues, to announce our government’s support for infant hearing testing…. The most recent numbers available to us show that 10,365 children are currently in service in the Ontario Autism Program, while 24,924 children are waiting for service. I am also committing to providing monthly updates, verified by our ministry officials, on the number of children waiting for services, as well as the number of children currently in services. As of today, $4.4 million has flowed to 260 families, who have come off the waitlist and begun receiving Childhood Budgets. This file is far too important to be dealt with in isolation. There is a need for a national conversation, about how all levels of government can bring more to the table to help children and youth with autism. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how we address the patchwork of services across Canada, to improve the lives of children and their families. “I am privileged to have been appointed to this important role. I’m also humbled, as my new ministry is responsible for helping families across this province, through community and social services, programs for children and youth, working to reduce poverty, the responsibility for citizenship, immigration and women’s issues (such as fleeing sex trafficking and violence), protecting the rights of LGBTQ people, and veterans’ affairs. I am also pleased to be working with Simcoe North’s Jill Dunlop as our new Associate Minister. Minister Dunlop brings tremendous insight and compassion to her new position. Between us, I know we will accomplish important things for the people of our province. We are also joined in this effort by two Parliamentary Assistants: MPPs Amy Fee (Kitchener South-Hespeler), and Jeremy Roberts (Ottawa-West Nepean). These two colleagues bring years of experience and tremendous talent to our table. I want to thank the families, advocates and professionals – who have such a stake in the work we do — for welcoming me into this role. Together we will continue to fix the ineffective, disjointed patchwork of supports we inherited from the previous government, and ensure children and families living with autism receive care. Lastly let me just say that as we confront these challenges, my team and I will always be available to talk. You can reach us at (416) 212-7432 or by email at ministermccss@ontario.ca. My door is always open.’

Childhood Lost
Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).
Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.
Loss of Brain Trust features over 9,000 news stories published worldwide since January, 2017
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