Families with special needs children who have aged out of high school say they have been left in the lurch with no support because of funding shortages from the NDP government.
Thomas Jung’s 20-year-old son Christopher is on the autism spectrum and finished school in June 2023.
Jung’s wife and Christopher’s mother died of cancer two years ago.
Jung told Global News that along with his son’s confusion about where his mother is, he essentially has not left the house since he left high school because there is no funding for a spot in a day program.
“I’m getting old and I’m trying to be independent and get my life back,” Jung said.
“They just don’t have any program. So I really don’t know what to do here. I’m having a hard time here, he’s having a hard time,” referring to his son.
Karin Kirkpatrick, the shadow minister for Housing, Childcare, Autism & Accessibility, told Global News that what the Jungs are going through is not acceptable.
“It’s a concern even for young people before graduating high school,” she said.
“For younger children, it is such a difficult time with the funding now that some parents will actually give up their child to the Ministry of Children and Families because they simply can’t get support for them.”
Kirkpatrick said the government needs to invest more in respite for parents so if there isn’t a day program, there has to be some opportunity for a parent to fulfil that role and not be a caregiver for their special needs child around the clock.
B.C.’s Social Development and Poverty Reduction Minister, Sheila Malcolmson, told Global News in a statement that the government is taking families’ concerns seriously and is working with Community Living BC to find a solution.
“I thought I’m very strong too… but this kind of situation… it’s a lot, yeah,” Jung said.
He dreams of one day opening a coffee shop.
“Then I can hire my own son, then I can give him (a) simple job.”