For more than a year, families with neuro-diverse children have been demanding the Minister of Children and Family Development, Hon. Mitzi Dean, scrap a proposal that ends individual funding for supports and instead creates a hub model.
The Minister has consistently told British Columbians that she is listening to parents while simultaneously ignoring them.
In a study released by Autism BC of 1500 parents of autistic children on 4% of those polled supported the change.
The Ministers proposal is cruel. It is separating vulnerable children from the professional supports they have build a bond and relationship with and forcing them into a hub model.
As we have a new Premier, I asked if his vision of the province includes listening to those parents and finally scrapping the proposed changes.
[Transcript]
A. Olsen:
To the Premier, does his vision for British Columbia include returning to individualized funding for parents and caregivers of children with autism?
Hon. M. Dean:
We know that all children need to have access to the supports and services that are going to help them develop and help them thrive, and they need access to them as early as possible. That’s why we’re moving towards a needs-based system for children and youth with support needs, because far too many children and youth are being left behind.
I have been listening to families. I’ve been listening to advocates, to service providers.
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker:
Members. Members, let the Minister answer please.
The Minister will continue.
Hon. M. Dean:
Thank you, Hon. Speaker.
I’ve been listening to organizations, Indigenous communities, Indigenous leadership and I have been hearing some concerns, and where I’m hearing concerns, I take those concerns very seriously.
I will continue to listen to families, to listen to advocacy groups, to organizations. We will be working…
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker:
Members.
Hon. M. Dean:
…together to make sure that we build a system that is more accessible to more children and, crucially, earlier in their development so that more children and youth across our province will thrive.
Mr. Speaker:
House Leader, Third Party, supplemental.
A. Olsen:
I’m sure the parents and caregivers of children with autism are going to be disappointed that our new Premier doesn’t have a different vision than the previous Premier and the minister.
For kids receiving individual support, they have bonded with their service providers. These changes rip them away from their care team. It’s cruel, actually. It takes years for parents to find the right service providers for their children. When they do, those children develop close personal relationships with their caregivers. Parents have actually described them to us as part of the family. The new hub model doesn’t guarantee that those same providers will be available to families.
The Ministry of Children and Family Development is once again separating children from their loved ones. These children don’t understand government bureaucracy. All they know is that the people that they trust are no longer around them. It’s confusing, it’s distressing, and it’s traumatizing. It’s not difficult to imagine a child in this situation — to not internalize this.
AutismBC released the results of a survey of 1,500 parents earlier this week. They found 4 percent of parents…. The minister says that she is listening to the parents, but 96 percent of them want rid of this hub model that she has brought in.
[2:25 p.m.]
More than half want to continue the model that they know works, and that’s the individualized funding. To the Premier: does his new vision for British Columbia include listening to parents and caregivers with children of autism and committing to returning to the individualized funding?
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker:
Members, please.
Hon. M. Dean:
It is really important to listen to families. I have been listening to families, I will continue to listen to families, and where I’m hearing concerns, I’m taking them very seriously. I hear from a range of families. I hear from parents who say to me this change cannot come soon enough.
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker:
Continue.
Hon. M. Dean:
There are far too many children and youth who are left behind. We’ve heard from the Representative for Children and Youth. She has made numerous recommendations that we need to move towards a needs-based system. In fact, there was a select standing committee of this very Legislative Assembly that made the recommendation that we need to move towards a needs-based system….
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker:
Members. Members. Members. Members, let the minister finish her answer, please. That’s fine. People can ask another question later. Let’s let her continue. Let’s listen.
Hon. M. Dean:
It’s widely recognized that many children and youth with neurodiversity and disabilities are not properly served and are left behind. Indeed, AutismBC, when they came to visit me on Monday of this week, agreed with us that we need to change the system in order to meet the needs of more children.
Many children who have a diagnosis of autism or who are waiting for a diagnosis of autism are also not able to receive the services that they need. Children and youth with support needs need to be matched up with services that are going to meet the unique needs of them as children as early as possible to help them on their developmental pathway so that they will be able to thrive.
Working in a needs-based system means that services will no longer be locked behind a diagnosis. More children will have better access to services earlier in their development, and more children will thrive.
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