A Picton, Ontario mother is demanding answers after her nine-year-old daughter with autism spectrum disorder went missing from school this week — an incident that has sparked broader conversation about how Ontario's education system is failing students with disabilities.
Chantelle Bissaillion's worst fear became reality on Monday when school officials showed up at her door searching for her daughter, Amelia. The child, who has autism, ADHD, and oppositional defiant disorder, had wandered away from school during morning recess. A neighbour eventually found her walking towards home in the early afternoon.
"You trust these schools to take your kid from the age of three, sometimes four, and they're supposed to be safe," Bissaillion told reporters, her voice still shaking days after the incident. "How can I send my kids back to school now?"
Support Denied Despite Clear Need
What makes this case particularly troubling is that Bissaillion had already alerted the school to her daughter's needs. Back in March, she shared Amelia's diagnosis and a doctor's assessment that explicitly recommended one-on-one support at school.
The school's response? Amelia didn't qualify for an educational assistant because she was "deemed high-functioning." Instead, administrators offered vague alternatives: "emotional regulation check-ins" with her teacher and permission to "walk the halls by herself to calm down."
That last suggestion proved catastrophic.
"Elopement" — when an autistic person runs or wanders away from caregivers or safe locations — is a recognized safety concern in schools. Yet experts say Ontario's fragmented approach to special education support is making these incidents more likely, not less.
A Systemic Crisis in Special Education
The Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board issued a statement saying it takes "every measure possible to ensure a secure environment," but disability advocates and education experts argue the numbers tell a different story.
According to the Ontario Autism Coalition, which conducted a comprehensive survey across 64 school boards, special education support in Ontario is inconsistent, inadequate, and often denied to students who desperately need it. The coalition is releasing its latest findings next week, but early indications suggest the problem is widespread.
"Schools face real challenges supporting diverse learners without proper structure or support from above," according to education professionals cited in the investigation. The result? A patchwork system where some students receive crucial support while others — like Amelia — are left to fend for themselves.
Parents Left in the Dark
For parents of autistic children in Ontario, the uncertainty is maddening. Medical professionals recommend specific supports. Parents advocate for their children's needs. And schools respond with gatekeeping and arbitrary criteria that seem designed to minimize costs rather than maximize student safety and inclusion.
Kate Dudley Logue, chair of the Ontario Autism Coalition's education working group and mother of two autistic school-aged children, says elopement isn't an isolated incident — it's a systemic problem reflecting how poorly Ontario is supporting students with disabilities.
Bissaillion's story is one of thousands. The question now is whether Ontario's education ministry will finally take the crisis seriously — or continue pretending that inadequate support and exclusion from meaningful learning is acceptable.
This article is based on reporting from CBC Health's Jennifer Blackwood. Read the original story at CBC News.