Organizations urge improved supports for children and youth with disabilities in B.C.
Four provincial organizations are urging the B.C. government to act on long-standing promises to improve supports and services for children and youth with disabilities, warning that tens of thousands of families continue to go without help.
In a joint position statement released in June 2025, Inclusion BC, the BC Association for Child Development and Intervention, the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, and The Federation of Community Social Services of BC called on the province to create a Provincial Disability Strategy. They say the strategy must be developed in strong partnership with people with disabilities, families and community organizations, and guided by a coordinated, whole-of-government approach.
“All children and youth must have access to the supports and services they need to reach their full potential and live well in their communities,” the statement says. “Children, youth and their families should be treated with respect, and the supports they receive must be fair, easy to access and culturally safe.”
Gaps and delays in services
The groups say access to supports in B.C. remains inconsistent, underfunded and overly dependent on a formal diagnosis. In many cases, families can only access help in crisis situations. The report highlights that between 55,000 and 83,000 children and youth with disabilities are not receiving the supports they need from ministries such as Children and Family Development, Health, Education and Child Care, and Housing.
Although the province has several programs — including Autism Funding, Family Support Services, the At Home Program and Early Childhood Intervention Programs — these are spread across multiple departments, causing confusion, long wait times and poor coordination.
As of March 2024, 10,828 children were on government waitlists for diagnostic assessments through the Complex Developmental Behavioural Conditions Program or the BC Autism Assessment Network. Wait times can stretch up to 27 months in some regions.
Families told the organizations that the lengthy delays mean children lose critical opportunities for early learning and development. Services such as respite care, therapies and access to equipment are difficult to obtain, especially outside major urban centres.
A system that has not kept pace
The statement traces the roots of today’s problems to decades of underfunding. Advocacy in the 1970s led to the creation of community-based services that replaced large institutions. But despite growing needs, funding levels have largely stagnated over the past decade.
“Disability supports in B.C. are still seen as an option, not a right,” the report says. “Access depends on budget and diagnosis. In Canada, services for children and youth with disabilities are a right and should not depend on charity or fundraising.”
The organizations also criticize the slow pace of government reform. Since 2018, the province has been promising to transform Children and Youth with Support Needs services, but families say real change has been limited to consultations and pilot projects. The lack of clarity has left communities frustrated and families exhausted.
Barriers to inclusion
Families and community groups identified multiple barriers that prevent children and youth with disabilities from fully participating in their communities. These include racism, ableism, colonialism, ageism, poverty and discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation or cultural background.
Indigenous organizations, the statement notes, want more flexibility to design and deliver supports that reflect local priorities. All community service providers need stable, long-term funding to ensure their work is culturally safe and responsive.
Research and family feedback also show that a sense of belonging is key to children’s and families’ well-being. But many families say they feel excluded because programs are unavailable or inaccessible in their area. Rural and remote communities, in particular, face challenges due to limited staffing and infrastructure.
The workforce crisis
The report highlights the growing shortage of qualified workers across the community social services sector. Families often cannot find respite workers or specialized therapists, and organizations struggle to recruit and retain staff.
It calls for a coordinated workforce strategy to ensure fair wages, professional development and consistent standards across all sectors that serve children and youth with disabilities. During the pandemic, flexible respite options helped families, but rigid rules, low pay and lack of training continue to make respite hard to find.
Need for better coordination
Eighty-one per cent of families surveyed by the B.C. Representative for Children and Youth said they had trouble navigating disability services. Community organizations have also reported that government funding has become more transactional, weakening collaboration and innovation.
The statement urges the province to rebuild long-term partnerships with community-based organizations and to invest in their capacity to deliver services. It also recommends better information sharing, including accessible online portals and family navigation roles in every community, to help families find support faster.
Calls to action
The four organizations outlined specific recommendations for the provincial government. Key actions include:
- Adopt a common definition of inclusion across ministries, ensuring alignment with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
- Establish clear accountability measures and oversight to protect the rights of children and youth with disabilities.
- Fund Indigenous organizations fairly to strengthen culturally safe services.
- Coordinate services more effectively across education, health, mental health, social services and community programs to eliminate gaps.
- Ensure timely and equitable access to assessments and therapies, particularly in rural and remote communities.
- Expand respite programs, increase funding for fair wages and comprehensive training and enable families to use funds flexibly based on their needs.
- Support transitions from youth to adult services with early, individualized and person-centred planning.
The groups urge the government to take immediate action on these steps, ensuring that children and youth with disabilities and their families receive fair, accessible, culturally safe and needs-based supports now.
“Children and youth with disabilities need and deserve these supports and services,” the statement concludes. “All levels of government have the responsibility to make sure children, youth and their families can enjoy their right to a good standard of living, achieve their full potential, and live well in their communities with a sense of belonging.”