Working as an advocate for families with children with autism, Midale’s Katie Emde has taken her voice from the legislature to the classroom, as she spends time visiting with schools and school divisions to find out what resources are needed, as well as what is working and what isn’t working in the classroom. The work comes as more and more classrooms work to accomodate students with complex needs, such as autism.

Emde said the conversation with parents she has been having had focused on education as of late.

“How our kids are going to have growth in the education system, and what supports will be in place for kids that have complex needs, and also just seeing how classroom sizes affect, positively, or maybe negatively, to all the kids in the school,” Emde related. 

Over the year, she has visited with different school divisions and schools across the province, setting time aside to talk to principals, teachers and support staff to see what they are seeing in the classroom, and what needs to be addressed with the government.

One topic which has come up repeatedly, Emde said, is an increase of violent outbursts from children with complex needs. This has the support teams in the schools working together to find a solution, and look at the best way to help students with complex needs. 

Emde said the time now is for solutions, not just money.

“We need to kind of go to the root of the problem,” Emde said. “I know this is something that I have discussed with some of the union members, and also a few different school divisions, that something, an idea that’s been thrown around, is getting non-profits, and also getting different groups and organizations all to come together and start a type of seminar and a session that would be located in different cities.” The seminars would provide additional training and information for those who work with children with complex needs. 

“It is so important that a child that is in our school system, that has complex needs, that they’re always safe, and then also the other students are safe,” Emde pointed out, adding schools are a learning environment where everyone has a chance to get an education.

Emde is currently advocating for support, resources and education for those who work with children with complex needs to ensure that they are safe. 

Knowledge and education, according to Emde, will help to provide the most positive outcome. It is just a matter of getting those supports put into place. While Emde has said she has approached the issue with the Saskatchewan government, she feels the answers so far have been non-committal. She would like to see more being done in terms of the support systems for those who work with children as the province moves forward, and heads into the budget season.