Conference aims to help parents with children who have learning disabilities

GUELPH – Are you looking for tools and strategies to support your child’s learning?

The Learning Disabilities Association of Wellington County is hosting its 9th annual Family Conference, that’s designed for parents and caregivers of children with learning disabilties and/or ADHD.

The conference will provide tools and strategies to support increased learning at school and at home.

The conference will be held at St. James Catholic High School in Guelph on Oct. 21.

Check-in and registration begins at 8:30am and the program runs from 9:15am to 4pm.

The conference is free and light refreshments will be provided. But a food truck will be on site to purchase  lunch.

The keynote speaker is  Alina Kislenko, an assistant neuroscience and psychiatry professor at McMaster School of Medicine and a psychotherapist who is autistic and has ADHD. 

She also founded and runs the award-winning ADHD and Asperger’s/ASD Centres in Guelph and Ottawa, as well as a not for profit for women in poverty to access STEM and build business skills. 

She does interactive presentations all over the world and has been on many international TV and radio shows to educate about neurodivergence. 

Kislenko’s centres are the only ADHD and autism centres in the world that only hire neurodivergent practitioners to avoid common ableism in the mental health field. 

They offer ADHD and autism diagnosis, counselling, coaching, online classes, and video courses and see clients from anywhere. Her website is www.ADHDInterrupted.com.

The day also includes two breakout sessions. Attendees will have to choose between the following speakers and topics:  

– Easing the fears of post-secondary education with Tania Green B.Sc., M.Ed;

– Tech Talk with Bridges Canada (Part 1) with Brenna McFarlane – Assistive Technology Instructor;

– Helping Your Kids with Math, with Jonthan So, vice principal for the Peel District School Board; 

– Advocating for yourself and others, with Lynn Ziraldo – Past education director of the York Learning Disabilities Association chapter;

– Collaborative Problem Solving and Managing Conflict, with Siobhan Chirico, Registered Psychotherapist / Ontario College of Teachers (OCT); and

– IEP support and advice with experts guests from both Upper Grand and Wellington Catholic district school boards – Nadia Tonin, Jeff Mawhinney, Jacqueline Weresch and Mark Howe.

Registration for the conference is now open.

For more information or to register, visit ldawc.ca, then click on the events tab.