Nov 22, 2016
About a year-and-a-half ago, Deb Kien's family needed help — urgently.
Deb and her husband Kenton have two teenage daughters, each with a developmental disability. The couple, who lives in Fort Assiniboine, Alberta, adopted Ashlee and Jennifer when the girls were just eight and nine days old, respectively.
Deb describes Ashlee, who is now 13, as "a bubbly kind of kid," generous and kind-hearted. "Ashlee is into gaming, Facebook and soccer." Jennifer is 16, and Deb says she's empathetic and caring. "Jennifer is an artist who specializes in anime-inspired artwork. She lives and breathes anime; she paints, colours and draws."
Ashlee and Jennifer are wonderful kids, but each faces serious challenges due to her developmental disability.
Deb says both girls have difficulty expressing themselves verbally and socially. "Ashlee has trouble making and keeping friends due to her social communication challenges. She knows right from wrong, but she's impulsive in her decision-making. Jennifer has trouble reading social cues and interpreting nonverbal communication, so she also has difficulty maintaining friendships."
Before joining Entrust's supportive care model, Ashlee and Jennifer each tried two other care facilities. However, these previous placements weren't the long-term solution the family needed.
By the spring of 2015, the Kiens were running out of options for specialized care. "The other places weren't working out," says Deb. "We were desperate for a place that could take Ashlee."
That's when Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD), Alberta's government-funded support program, referred the Kiens to Entrust Disability Services. "Overall, we were thinking 'this might work,'" says Deb. "We were hopeful that this placement would be different."
Since they joined residential group homes for youth, Deb says the girls are finally getting the type of behavioural consultations they need. "The staff is following up on the counsellor's recommendations consistently. We see positive changes from there."
Deb feels Entrust is different from other care facilities because they adjust their approach when their clients' behaviour changes. "They'll get one behavioral issue corralled, and then something else comes up, so they adapt their programs accordingly."
In addition to Entrust's personalized approach, Deb appreciates that the transitioning to a group home has worked well. The 24-hour staff can handle the girls' complex needs effectively. "I feel comfortable with them there," she says. "I admire that they can do this specialized job for eight hours a day. So many kids with developmental disabilities need this kind of professional help."
