Family Support for Children with Disabilities

Legislation that is unique in Canada for children with disabilities and their families went into effect in Alberta on Aug. 1, 2004.

The new Family Support for Children with Disabilities Act is better for families because it:

• Provides supports to families including while their child is awaiting a formal diagnosis
• Recognizes the needs of families, not just the needs of the child 
• Promotes better co-ordination and integration of services 
• Improves families' access to information
• Recognizes families as partners in the planning and decision-making process regarding services that will best meet their needs
• Ensures greater consistency in families' access to support and services across the province
• Recognizes and respects the ability and responsibility of families as the primary source of care and support for their child.

The name of the program administered under the new act by Alberta Children's Services has been changed to the Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) program to incorporate the new emphasis on supporting families as they care for their children with disabilities.

The FSCD program is a reimbursement program that provides a range of proactive and family-centred services to assist families in helping their children achieve their potential. The program assists with some of the extraordinary costs of raising a child with a disability.

Two levels of services are identified in the new act: family support services and child-focused services.

Family support services are available to families caring for a child with a diagnosed disability or to families who are awaiting confirmation of their child's diagnosis. These services are primarily based on the needs as identified by the family.

In addition to information, referral and advocacy supports, family support services also include assistance with counselling, extraordinary clothing and footwear costs, travel costs for medical appointments, meals while traveling to medical appointments, accommodation costs associated with attending medical appointments and respite services.

Child-focused services are provided when a child has a confirmed diagnosis and assessment information to specify their individual needs. Child-focused services provide a range of respite services, aide supports, child care supports, health-related supports, specialized services for children with severe disabilities and out-of-home living arrangements.

To help make disability-related information more accessible for families, a provincial toll-free phone line was launched on Aug. 3, 2004.

The ‘Child Disability Resource Link' gives callers information about a wide range of government and community supports, services and resources for children with disabilities and their families. Information and referral specialists will be available toll-free weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. by calling 1-866-346-4661.

For more information about the new legislation or the Family Support for Children with Disabilities program, call your regional Child and Family Services Authority or the provincial program at (780) 427-2551 (toll-free 310-0000).

For information on Fetal Alchol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), please click here.