Lessons learned

Ministry of Community and Social Services (Ontario Disability Support Program)

Date: 2010

A disabled dad was receiving monthly income support from the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP). His cognitively impaired son, whom he had been homeschooling since 2005, lived with him. In April 2008, the father was advised by ODSP that his son could not be considered a dependent for the period from January 2005 to May 2006, because it had not received written confirmation that the youth was registered as a home-schooled student with the local school board. ODSP calculated that this meant the man had been overpaid by $4,847.39, and told him he would have to repay this amount through monthly deductions from his future ODSP benefits.

Frustrated and in dire financial straits, the father called the Ombudsman’s Office for assistance. He said ODSP was well aware that his son’s disability prevented him from attending a regular school, and he had given the proper written notice that he was being home-schooled in November 2005. An Ombudsman staff member asked ODSP to review the file and it confirmed the man had in fact provided notice of the home-schooling. With this error resolved, ODSP refunded the man $1,758.68 in repayments he had already made.