Program supporting care at home for children with disabilities at risk

QUEEN’S PARK – During question period Wednesday, NDP MPP Monique Taylor said parents are worried that the Ford government is planning to cut Special Services At Home (SSAH) following Ford’s track record of cutting services for vulnerable children, and months of frozen funding.

SSAH helps families support their children with physical and developmental disabilities.

“Families have lost services and are afraid cuts are coming,” said Taylor, NDP critic for Children and Youth Services. “For weeks now, I’ve been hearing from anxious parents about Special Services At Home funding. Usually, families get their funding notice in March. But this year, staff are saying that funding has been frozen until the budget is released on April 11.

“This government won’t share any more information than that, leaving families worried that they won't get the support they need to care for loved ones who need a lot of support at home.

“Will this government tell parents why the government is leaving families and their vulnerable children in the dark?”

Taylor said that families have seen the Ford government’s cruel attack on programs for vulnerable children. Now they are seeing funding frozen for a program that helps pay for home supports their children need.

“First they abolished the child advocate, then they introduced a bad autism program. And now parents are afraid of what they’ll do to Special Services At Home,” said Taylor.

“Parents need to plan out their child’s care and their own finances.

“Is the government cutting this program? If not, will this government please provide parents the information they need to plan their lives?”