FSCD Family Supports for Children with Disabilities

Here are some issues:My family has moved several times in Alberta due to work. Every time we move cities, my kids’ FSCD file had to be closed and re-opened with a new caseworker.That takes months and is so unbelievably ridiculous!!If we are still in Alberta keep the file open!! No new contracts and paperwork should be needed!!We are approved for services but there are long waiting lists right now for professionals- so an FSCD contract isn’t much use to us.Also, these FSCD contracts focus on family learning. We did all that when kids were little.What my kids need now is one-on- one autism therapy.Professionals aren’t often available on Sundays or evenings- when many families have time for this.A lot of these in home services operate under the assumption that one parent is at home to host these therapies.I took years off full time work when kids were little to do this- I cannot do that again.Parents should be able to drop the kids off for their therapy appointments. Or better yet, the therapies could be delivered at schools.As for the caseworkers, we’ve had competent people. No real complaints with them. If you are super organized with paperwork, it helps a lot.FSCD is all about the paperwork- even though the point of what they are trying to accomplish is often lost.

We were accepted into the FSCD program almost two years ago and we continually reach out to our worker who refuses to contact us back. Super frustrating since we were hopeful about the help we would receive with our child with autism and ADHD very disappointed.

I’m Mom to three children with special needs, and FSCD has helped my family with a variety of services, including specialized services, for almost 9 years now. While the program is not perfect, it has provided supports for my family that I never would have been able to afford on my own. We have had two caseworkers that have both been there to answer any questions and provide information that was helpful. In the beginning it wasn’t easy navigating the process of applying for services and it was very frustrating due to my lack of understanding what the program was. I highly recommend seeking out support from the various advocacy programs out there as well as reading the FSCD policy and procedure manual to fully understand the process and what the program offers.I’m very thankful to have this program available to us, and the supports received have been life changing.

I am very grateful to have these services for my son. It's been beneficial to get him the help he needs to live a happier, healthier life.I do wish it was easier to get in contact with my case worker though.

They are a joke. Don't actual care about the mental health of children. It is pathetic how the workers treat the families. I wish I could give no stars. I do not recommend getting help from these people as they won't actually care about the child they only care about the money.

I was a worker and spent a year in court trying to collect $2500 that I never received for my respite and community aide work. Reported to fraud department and this lady is still receiving funding. Terrible that people get away with this scam and no one even looked into this issue. Might be a good service to those who use the funding for their child’s needs and not weddings.

Our caseworker is always available to discuss needs we might have. This program offers a variety of services including support, resources, referrals and financial assistance for other services. We would be lost without the FSCD team!

I have had to write MLA and submit a complaint to the office of the advocate for people with disabilities and to the Alberta human rights tribunal. There are so many horrifyingly awful things to say that I can't even begin. They allowed a respite agency to discriminate against me on the basis of disability, and my worker refused to investigate then claimed it was my fault and I made up the discrimination allegation; my two severely disabled children have yet to receive any support despite their contracts open and approved across every category for over two years because of the severity of their disabilities. Right now our current caseworker is refusing to answer emails and phone calls with my childrens' files set to close in two days, when I've been waiting for her to reply for nearly a month and calling or emailing daily.Our last caseworker allowed Wild Rose respite agency to cancel my family's contract without notice because of my disability. (Caregivers being disabled isn't supposed to happen in the world of fscd as you can see). It has been a beyond horrifying level of abuse to be exposed to this agency. I am a single disabled parent, completely alone with no family, to two severely disabled children, and the agency mandated through the government to provide disability supports to my children was the one that cared the least for their welfare.Nothing is worth this stress. These guys will not help you. In fact, they are my deepest regret about my childrens' early childhood.I see also that as adjuncts to these reviews FSCD is writing replies: in 2017 after I hemmhorraged while alone with my children, which was then followed by a different emergency hospitalization, I also got a reply from FSCD. I had written to my MLA about why they would not help us. I have been through three caseworkers since then, and I still don't have help, with them apparently now forcing my childrens' files closed and refusing to answer emails and phone calls. So there's no answer. You never get off the hamster wheel of futility with FSCD. Don't bother, and just enjoy your children even though you are alone and need help. By the way I hemmhorraged again two months ago-- I cut my own IV line and walked out of the hospital once my bleeding stabilized, because there was no one to help with my children.For the record: this agency's abuse of my family because of my disabilities defined my childrens' childhood in a horrible way. When I finally get the chance, if I survive, I am pursuing them legally.I am:Kara Megan RoddSingle disabled parent to two severely disabled childrenTraditional doctor, Zulu sangoma indigeneous medical traditionBJ(H), graduate work attempted in psychology (forced to withdraw when my childrens' diagnoses began)In the Edmonton area

My 5 year old autistic son had to get dental surgery done back in Nov and we paid $3500 out of pocket as well as $1500 through our benefits. It is now March. We have not been reimbursed and it's really hard to get a hold of somebody. They don't care about special needs families or the wellbeing of a child. Why even offer this service if it doesn't do anything for families.

I have been trying to get ahold of someone let alone my sons file being reviewed as my doctor has sent them 2 documents as he needs a case worker and they have not contacted anyone. I’m frustrated and I’m not reapplying over and over again because people cannot do their jobs. For the fact early intervention is important for toddlers with autism you’d think this wouldn’t be such a fight to get in contact with someone.