Services delivered: Special Services at Home

Component: Special Services at Home

Legislation: Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017

Service description

The Special Services at Home (SSAH) program provides direct funding to families who are caring for a child or youth under the age of 18 who has a developmental and/or physical disability to help pay for special services in or outside the family home.

People served

Children with a developmental disability or physical disability are eligible for SSAH if they

• are residents of Ontario under the age of 18
• have ongoing functional limitations because of a disability
• require support beyond that which is typically provided by families
• are living at home with their families or are living outside the family home but receive no residential staff support from a government-funded source (e.g., transfer payment agency) or an outside paid resource

Program/service features

SSAH provides funding to assist with purchasing necessary supports that cannot be met by a service available elsewhere in the local community in the following two areas

• personal development and growth
• family relief and support (respite)

Program goals

To help children with physical and/or developmental disabilities participate in their communities and to support the well-being of families of children with disabilities by providing caregiver respite.

For personal development and growth support, SSAH funding is provided for the reimbursement of eligible services and supports that will help children learn and develop by achieving specific goals in acquiring new skills. While family members benefit indirectly from the assistance and skills learned, the overall goal is to enable children with disabilities to expand on current skills and/or acquire new skills.

For family relief and support (respite), SSAH funding is provided for the reimbursement of eligible respite or primary caregiver relief and related supports. While the child with a disability will likely benefit from such support, the primary goal is to help the family to meet their identified respite needs.

Ministry expectations

Services are child and family-centred and support the diverse needs of families in a way that is culturally safe, promotes equity, anti-racism, and anti-oppression

Services will be delivered according to the Special Services at Home Program Guidelines. (Special services at home program guidelines | Ontario.ca) (https://www.ontario.ca/document/special-services-home-program-guidelines)

Services will

• support participation and integration of the child with a disability and their family in the community
• take into consideration family circumstances and provide families with flexibility and choice
• value children and youth for who they are and the role they can play at home, at school, and in the community
• be reflective and responsive to children, families and communities’ strengths and needs
• be accountable to the children, families, and communities
• be sensitive to the social, linguistic, and cultural diversity of families and Indigenous communities
• be staffed by individuals with the appropriate range of skills and abilities necessary to respond effectively to the needs of children and families
• be based on the child’s and youth’s assessed needs, preferences and available individual, agency, community, and contracted ministry resources

Reporting requirements

The following service data will be reported on at an Interim and Final period. Please refer to your final agreement for report back due dates and targets.