Moving is always challenging, but moving with an autism spectrum diagnosis further complicates things because each province offers different supports and funding. Our Resources Team frequently receives questions from families moving to BC from other provinces (or countries) who are looking for guidance.
Question: “We just moved here from New Brunswick. Our son is 6 and just received an autism diagnosis before we left. Where do we start with this in BC? I don’t know anything about what is available here.”
Answer: Thank you for reaching out to us for some direction and support!
Our Moving to BC blog will have some information and links that will be helpful for you. It also includes the Confirmation of Previous Diagnosis form you will need to have completed by a Pediatrician, Psychiatrist, or Registered Psychologist licensed in BC. Our Autism Funding blog has information and links to important BC resources. Another helpful resource list may be our Funding and Accessibility blog. Your next step is to connect with your local CYSN (Children & Youth with Support Needs) social worker is the next step. This will be who you provide paperwork to in the application for Autism Funding.
Connecting on Facebook with others in your area for information, resources and peer support will be really helpful as well. If you are going to be moving to Vancouver Island you can try the groups below, or reach out to us here for a different region.
Victoria Autism Society (VSCA)*
Cowichan Valley Autism Support Group*
(*specific to Vancouver Island)
General BC Groups:
Our team receives many questions from the autism community each week and we strive to support each and every one of them by empowering them with knowledge and our lived experiences. You can reach out to our team here if you have questions or concerns, or if you simply need some guidance and support.
