Application

This policy applies to all full-time, part-time, seasonal, and contract employees, regardless of status.

Policy Statement

The following is the Laurentian Child and Family Centre Inc. policy on providing service to people with disabilities. This policy may be revised as additional standards are introduced under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.

Introduction

LCFC will use reasonable efforts to ensure that its policies, practices, and procedures are consistent with the following principles:

• Goods and services must be provided in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities.
• The provision of goods and services to persons with disabilities must be integrated unless an alternate measure is necessary, whether temporarily or on a permanent basis, to enable a person with a disability to acquire, use, or benefit from the goods and services.
• Persons with disabilities should be given equal opportunities to acquire, use, or benefit from the goods or services.

1. Our Commitment

At Laurentian Child and Family Centre Inc., we strive to provide goods and services in a way that respects the dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity of people with disabilities. We are committed to providing people with disabilities the same opportunities to access our goods and services so that all persons can benefit from the same services, in the same place, and in a similar way.

2. Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities

Laurentian Child and Family Centre Inc. is dedicated to providing excellent service to all clients, including persons with disabilities. We will carry out our functions and responsibilities in the following areas:

Communication

We will strive to communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability. We will train our staff on how to interact and communicate with members who have disabilities.

Telephone Services

We are dedicated to providing fully accessible telephone service to our clients. We will strive to communicate with customers over the telephone in clear, plain language and to speak clearly and slowly.

We will offer to communicate with members by appropriate alternate methods if telephone communication is not suitable to their communication needs or is not available.

Assistive Devices

We are dedicated to serving people with disabilities who use assistive devices to acquire, use, or benefit from our goods and services. We will ensure that staff is familiar with the various assistive devices clients may use while accessing our goods or services.

Service Animals

We welcome people with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals are allowed on the parts of our premises that are open to the public.

Support Persons

A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be able to have that person accompany them on our premises.

Fees will not be charged for a support person for admission to Laurentian Child and Family Centre premises. We will notify families and staff of this through a notice posted on our premises.

Notice of Temporary Disruption

Laurentian Child and Family Centre Inc. will provide members with notice if a planned or unexpected disruption occurs for any facility or service usually used by people with disabilities. The notification will be posted at our main entrance and will include the reason for the disruption, anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.

Training for Staff

Laurentian Child and Family Centre Inc. will provide training on policies, practices, and procedures that affect the way goods and services are provided to people with disabilities to all employees, volunteers, others who deal with the public or third parties on our behalf, and all those involved in the development and approval of customer service policies, practices, and procedures.

The training will be provided as soon as practicable after applicable duties are assigned. Staff will also be trained on an ongoing basis whenever changes are made to these policies, practices, and procedures.

Training will include:

• An overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard.
• Laurentian Child and Family Centre Inc.'s accessible customer service plan.
• How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.
• How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person, and the type of equipment or devices that help people with disabilities access our services.
• What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing Laurentian Child and Family Centre Inc.'s goods and services.

Laurentian Child and Family Centre Inc.'s ultimate goal is to meet and surpass member expectations while serving members with disabilities.

Feedback

Members who wish to provide feedback on the way Laurentian Child and Family Centre Inc. provides goods and services to people with disabilities may contact the Centre Director at:

All feedback will be directed to the Centre Director.

Modifications to This or Other Policies

We are committed to developing member service policies that respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. No changes will be made to this policy without considering the impact on people with disabilities. Any policy of Laurentian Child and Family Centre Inc. that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified.

Questions About This Policy

This policy exists to achieve service excellence for all members. If there are any questions, or if the purpose of the policy is misunderstood, please contact the Centre Director.

tmills@laurentian.ca