Vancouver mother speaks out on psychoeducational assessment waits

Posted April 4, 2023 2:31 pm.
A Vancouver mother trying to get a formal diagnosis for her son with suspected learning difficulties says a two-year wait is not appropriate.
The woman’s son is in Grade 3 French immersion. She says she’s been told if the family wants a district-funded psychoeducational assessment, they’ll have to wait until Grade 5.
She feels waiting that long would mean a lack of supports during a key development period.
As a result, the family is turning to a private assessment, which will cost more than $3,000.
“My heart just breaks for parents that can’t afford it,” the mother told CityNews on condition of anonymity, given she didn’t want to identify her young son. “You’re stuck waiting for the school districts that don’t have enough resources to finally get around to your child. I just think it’s wrong.”
Tracy Humphreys is the executive director of the BCEdAccess Society, which is a charity aimed at supporting families of students with disabilities and complex learners.
She says in practice waits to get a diagnosis can be even longer than what this family is going through.
“Although every student has the right to access support without delay, that’s not in practice how things tend to work in the system,” Humphreys told CityNews. “They usually like to wait until there is a diagnosis.”
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Meanwhile, the Vancouver School Board (VSB) says in a statement that “psychoeducational assessments are conducted in the district based on the recommendation by the School Based Team.”
That team, the VSB adds, is comprised of the school administrator, classroom teacher, resource teacher, and school psychologist.
“In particular, School Psychologists play a key role in the determination of moving forward with an assessment and this decision is based on their expertise, professional judgement, age of the student, and interventions already in place,” the VSB said. “Enrolment in French Immersion, Mandarin Immersion or any choice program does not preclude a psych ed assessment taking place when it has been determined by the School Based Team to be an appropriate time to conduct the assessment.”