Link to submission no longer available
Excerpts from the submission: SpeciaLink offers the following specific recommendations for the 2008 Federal budget:
1.Include funding for a comprehensive Federal/ Provincial/ Territorial government agreement with effective monitoring and public accountability to advance the full inclusion of children with disabilities and to address child poverty.
2.Ensure entitlement and access to disability related supports for children will no longer be 'means tested' against household income.
3.Develop policies with congruent funding which support families in their care giving role and in the paid labour force.
4.Include a clear action plan with adequate resources to significantly move our country forward in building a publicly funded, pan Canadian inclusive child care system. Based on legislation now before Parliament (Bill C303), the next federal budget should make a significant down payment on a 4 year commitment to create a licensed child care space for every 3 to 5 year old child in the country &; including the approximately 10% with special support needs-and consider this as the first rung towards a truly comprehensive and inclusive system for Canadian children ages 0-12 years wherever they may live in our country.
5.Make inclusion goal benchmarks a priority in allocating funding for facilities development and renovation.
6.Launch a specific child care human resource and training strategy to support the inclusion of children with special needs.