As an integrated part of Ontario’s education system, the Education and Community Partnership Program (ECPP) provides critical support to meet the needs of children and youth who cannot attend school due to their primary need for care, treatment and/or rehabilitation services; and facilitates transitions to future educational success.

ECPP’s are voluntary collaborative partnerships between Ontario district school boards and government-approved facilities such as children mental health agencies, hospitals, or youth detention centres. District school boards provide the educational component while facilities provide the care and/or treatment or rehabilitation.  Children and youth in these programs may have:

• special education needs
• physical or mental health needs requiring them to be hospitalized
• possible or diagnosed mental health or psychiatric needs
• severe emotional and behavioural needs
• addictions
• conflict with the law or at risk of being in conflict with the law

Purpose of ECPP

The government of Ontario expects all students to attend school when possible. Where a student has special education needs, these needs should be accommodated, if possible, through programs and services offered through the school board/school. ECPP is for students who cannot attend their regular school because of their primary need for care, treatment and/or rehabilitation services.

Education and Instruction

We welcome and support all students into our various programs. Working with our agency partners, our goal is to support youth in a caring, supportive, and inclusive environment where everyone is valued. Academic programs are delivered in a flexible and individualized manner with student instruction based on individual strengths, interests and needs. The use of accommodations, modifications and/or alternative programming is reflected in the education plan. Students in our ECPP classrooms are taught by Thames Valley District School Board teachers following the Ontario Curriculum. We have programs from Kindergarten through Grade 12. Due to the unique needs of students in ECPPs, the Ministry has identified three essential components for the education component of an ECPP:

1. Instruction and Intervention
2. Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting on Educational Achievement
3. Transition Planning

Accessing Agency Partners

Community schools, along with parents/guardians may advocate for students to receive a placement within one of our programs.  Please see the attached list of agency partners and their website links for further information on how to access these programs. Point of access does not come through the Thames Valley District School Board, but could be through the agency itself, Children’s Aid Society or CSCN (Community Services Coordination Network). You are always welcome to contact Madeline Hardy and WD Sutton School Administrators for any assistance. 

Please see link to Community Agency Partners and School Administration contact information.

Policy and Program Memorandum (PPM) 149, Protocol For Partnerships With External Agencies For Provision Of Services By Regulated Health Professionals, Regulated Social Service Professionals, And Paraprofessionals, issued on September 25, 2009 by the Ministry of Education, directed school boards to review and to develop local protocols for partnerships with external agencies for the provision of services in Ontario schools by regulated health professionals, regulated social service professionals, and para-professionals.

EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS (ECPP)

MADELINE HARDY AND WD SUTTON SCHOOLS