Elementary teachers applaud the Ontario government’s funding commitment for mental health services for children of Ontario soldiers serving in Afghanistan.
The funding includes $2 million to provide children’s mental health support for communities in crisis such as Petawawa. As well, there is a commitment to fund the Phoenix Centre for Children and Families, which provides mental health services in the region.
"We are very pleased to see that Premier McGuinty has reacted quickly to the Ontario Ombubsman’s recommendation that the province ensure funding of such services. It was the right and moral thing to do," said Emily Noble, president of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO).
Noble said that ETFO members in the Petawawa area are all too familiar with the impact of stressful events faced by students who come from military families.
"As teachers, we can see these children are under a severe level of stress, and the immediate results are increased emotional problems and declining academic performance," said ETFO Renfrew Teacher Local President Alice Paige. "Teachers do their utmost to support their students, but each child needs and deserves much more. Increased locally accessible resources are welcomed."
Noble explained that ETFO is undertaking a number of initiatives to help its members better understand the needs of children from military families.
The ETFO Hastings-Prince Edward Teacher Local, for example, has arranged for the staff member from the Trenton base Family Resource Centre to do a presentation to all ETFO stewards about the cycle of deployment and its effect on students. The ETFO Renfrew Teacher Local has contacted every school to promote a journal for children written and published by one of its members. The journal encourages children to record their thoughts, feelings, and concerns when affected by military deployment.
"ETFO members will continue to work with school boards and local support groups to ensure that appropriate support is being provided to children in need," said Noble.
The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario represents more than 70,000 public elementary school teachers and education workers across Ontario and is the largest teacher federation in Canada.