Parents of children with disabilities are concerned that staff cuts within a provincial support program will make it harder for families to access the services they need.
Earlier this month, 12 caseworkers in Alberta’s Family Supports for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) program were informed their contracts will not be renewed when they expire.
FSCD is responsible for providing eligible families with various services, such as counselling, aides for behavioural or developmental support, and help with medical expenses.
The recent staff reductions, combined with the loss of seven FSCD caseworker positions in September, impacts families in several ways, says Keltie Marshall, co-founder Hold My Hand Alberta, a volunteer organization that helps parents of kids with disabilities.
“Reducing staff during a period of rapid population growth, alongside a stagnant budget for this department, means exorbitant waits of up to three years. It means we are preventing disabled children and their families from accessing necessary therapies and services to help them thrive,” Marshall said.
“We cannot be silent when this is happening alongside another large provincial budget surplus.”
Ashley Stevenson, press secretary to the Minister of Seniors, Community, and Social Services, said funding for FSCD has been maintained at $233.8 million for the 2024-25 budget, and there has been no reduction in department employees.
“The department regularly reviews its recruitment needs on an ongoing basis to ensure staffing levels are stable and consistent across the province. As part of this process, the twelve temporary FSCD contractors that you mentioned were notified earlier this month that their contracts will not be extended once they expire,” Stevenson said.
“The end of these contracts for temporary employees will not affect the ability of families to access services in their agreements.”
Marshall said it is already a struggle for families have their child assessed and get on the waiting list for FSCD, and education supports have been “reduced to unsafe levels, let alone levels where children can have their needs met and become their best selves.”
“Each thing we have to fight for and justify over and over is another brick in a parent’s backpack. It feels like our kids are always cut first and it is time for our community to come alongside us and start asking why,” Marshall said.
“The long-term effect of current policies and practices is going to be higher support costs, more dependent adults and more harm to Albertan families. We implore this government to act now for disabled individuals and their families.”
