Everyone
Statement from the Executive Director of AutismBC on the Report by the Representative for Children and Youth – Too Many Left Behind
Jan 31, 2025
AutismBC fully supports the January 29, 2025, report by the Representative for Children and Youth, which highlights urgent needs for comprehensive service navigation, therapeutic interventions, and educational support for disabled children and youth in British Columbia. The report underscores critical gaps and emphasizes the necessity for immediate action.
According to the Representative for Children and Youth (RCY), “transformational change in the child welfare system is needed.” The report highlights collective responsibilities from the 2024 report “Don’t Look Away” to support disabled children and youth including effective cross-ministerial collaboration, an equitable service delivery system, and a comprehensive data collection system. It notes that past recommendations from reports like “Alone and Afraid” (2018) and “Excluded” (2021) remain unimplemented, indicating ongoing challenges. Specific recommendations include developing integrated service delivery models and reducing wait times for assessments and services. The Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) is urged to lead collaborative efforts with other ministries for effective service delivery. Timelines for implementing various recommendations range from 2019 to 2025, with some deadlines already missed.
Several unimplemented recommendations from the previous reports for improving services for children and youth with special needs in British Columbia include:
- Calls for a comprehensive assessment of CYSN services in B.C. to be completed by fall 2019.
- MCFD and the Ministry of Education are to develop guidelines for addressing unexplained school absences by May 2019.
- The Ministry of Education is tasked with enabling local school districts to follow up on unregistered students by September 2020.
- A review of homeschooled students with special needs is to be conducted by the Ministry of Education by September 2020.
- A cross-ministry plan for collecting demographic and service data is to be developed by April 2022 and fully implemented by March 2024.
- The Ministry of Education will support staff training for educators working with children with FASD by September 2022.
- Comprehensive research on mental health disorders among children with neurodevelopmental conditions is set to begin by April 2024.
Families have spoken, and our priorities are clear. We need effective service navigation and case coordination, with a single point of contact to guide families through their child’s developmental journey. There is a pronounced demand for out-of-school services, particularly therapies such as Speech-Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy for children under 13. For youth aged 13-18, the need for mental health counseling is paramount.
Within our schools, families call for more Educational Assistants to ensure children receive the individualized attention they require. Additionally, priorities include Occupational Therapy, focused math instruction, and timely psychoeducational assessments to foster an inclusive and supportive educational environment.
The report also highlights the importance of wraparound supports benefiting the entire family unit, including mental health resources and community programs. These comprehensive supports are essential for promoting the well-being of not just the child, but the family as a whole.
AutismBC also acknowledges the RCY report’s concerns regarding Family Connections Centres (FCCs). Our own 2022 FCC report highlighted critical gaps in how MCFD supports disabled children, emphasizing the need for meaningful improvements. While the government previously committed to maintaining autism funding and not implementing FCCs, the RCY report makes it clear that little progress has been made. We stand by the RCY’s recommendations and reaffirm our call for concrete action to ensure children and families receive the support they need.
At AutismBC, we advocate for trauma-informed approaches, recognizing and addressing the impact of trauma on children, youth, and families. Our goal is to empower families through neuroaffirmative practices that respect neurological diversity.
We are committed to being part of the solution. We will continue to advocate for the resources and supports that families, children, and youth in British Columbia urgently need. We believe in a holistic approach encompassing educational, therapeutic, and mental health services, and we will work collaboratively with families, professionals, and policymakers to ensure these needs are met.
Together, we can create a more supportive, inclusive, and equitable environment for all children and youth in BC.
Suzanne Perreault, Executive Director AutismBC
Report Link: Too Many Left Behind
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