Everyone
AutismBC Community Update: Supporting Stability and Connection Through the CYSN Rollout
February 27, 2026
Over the past couple of weeks, families across disability communities have been reaching out with worry, hope, and many mixed feelings about the announced changes to the Children and Youth with Support Needs (CYSN) system. The province has announced a new BC Children and Youth Disability Benefit and an income tested Disability Supplement, along with plans to expand community-based services across British Columbia.
We begin by acknowledging that this is a complex moment. We understand that people feel unsettled when systems shift around the supports our children rely on. Sudden change, especially when details are experienced as uncertain, can activate stress responses for caregivers, service providers, advocates, and most importantly, our children. If you are feeling this, you are not alone.
Holding Two Truths Together
There is real progress in this announcement. For the first time, many disabled children who have historically had very limited access to direct support will now receive meaningful and essential help. That is something to celebrate.
At the same time, there are autistic children who have depended on consistent individualized supports and are soon facing reductions and uncertainty while community services are still being built. The Ministry’s guide describes this through the example of “Ollie Persona,” an autistic child with ADHD who will not qualify for the new Disability Benefit and whose family may see funding drop, with the shift toward community-based services changing what support looks like for some families
Families and caregivers are holding hope alongside fear. Both feelings are valid and deeply human.
A Reassurance: AutismBC Does Not Support Stopping or Pausing Access for Any Child
There have been concerns that some advocacy efforts could affect the rollout of support for children with other disabilities. This has caused understandable anxiety for families who have waited a long time for access to funding.
We want to offer clarity and reassurance. AutismBC is not calling for funding to be stopped or paused for any child. We support all children with support needs, and all disabled children receiving the new Disability Benefit and Supplement as announced. Our focus is on ensuring that as Ministry expands access, no child loses the stability they currently depend on.
We hold deep awareness that changes to services can feel destabilizing. For many families, uncertainty can be experienced as traumatic. Predictability, clear information, and steady transition support are essential for children and caregivers to feel safe.
What We Hope to See as the Rollout Continues
The Ministry’s 2025 to 2028 Service Plan describes a vision where every child in British Columbia is safe and supported to achieve their full potential, with services that are inclusive, responsive, accessible, and trauma informed.
We share that vision. Moving toward it will require attention to both equity and stability. Equity should not mean instability.
Calls to Action That We Believe Would Help
- Continuity protections for currently funded children. Many families need reassurance that their child’s existing supports will remain predictable while new pathways are developed. Maintain existing pathways for children represented in the Ollie Persona or create a stabilized pathway that supports equity for children in this group.
- Neuroaffirming standards across the new system. This includes clear, respectful language with child-centred planning.
- Clear access pathways. Families and providers need straightforward guidance on how children will enter the new Disability Benefit and community service streams.
- Transition guidance for providers. Clinicians, therapists, and community agencies need stable information to maintain continuity for the children they support.
- Clear capacity information across regions, with care for First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities: Community services will be important for many children who do not qualify for the new Disability Benefit. British Columbia includes First Nations communities, Métis and Inuit families across the province. Needs and services are different in each place. [www2.gov.bc.ca] First Nations and Métis communities are also moving forward with self-determination in child and family services. Planning and updates need to reflect this reality and support distinctions-based approaches. [scc-csc.ca]
- Community Services Must Not Be One-Size-Fits-All: Community services are not inherently responsive to every child’s needs. Many autistic children rely on consistency, individualized approaches, and trusted relationships built over time. A generalized community model cannot replace supports that are working. Families need flexible options that protect continuity and recognize that effective support looks different for every child.
Families tell us they need simple information about what is available where they live. We ask the Ministry to share easy-to-access updates for each region, including Indigenous communities. This would cover wait times, staffing, and which therapies or programs are open or full. Clear information helps families plan and feel more secure during change.
There is not one approach that fits every child. Capacity planning should reflect the diversity of children, cultures, and communities across B.C.
These steps align with what families have been voicing gently and consistently. They also reflect the messaging we have shared in our media interviews: all means all.
What Families Can Do
If you are feeling uncertain or would like to share your experience, here are ways to take part:
- Share your story with us at: [email protected]
- Attend community information sessions when available
- Write to your MLA
- Participate in consultations when available
- Share your story publicly (when safe to do so)
- Connect with local advocacy networks
- Sign up for AutismBC Membership to stay informed & to amplify your voice
Where To Raise Concerns:
Supporting Connection Across Communities
AutismBC values our relationships with all disability groups who deserve recognition for the hard work over the years to gain success in receiving rightful support for all children. We know that families across communities share similar hopes for their children. We also know that tension often comes from experience of loss and uncertainty, not from one another. Part of our role is to help recenter the conversation on shared compassion and shared priorities as we advocate forward for the felt gap in services.
AutismBC will continue to do its best to be a steady place where families can land, ask questions, and feel connected as the transition unfolds.
Warmly,
Suzanne Perreault,
Executive Director
