Caring for your child with special needs

Having a child diagnosed with a disability or a child who has sustained a life altering injury can be a difficult and a challenging experience for many parents and families. Their visions of the future suddenly become starkly different than that which now lies in front of them.

Children and youth with special needs require many services and interventions to improve their functioning, independence and long-term outcomes. Things like support services, funding programs and assistive devices can help to increase their ability to participate fully at home, school and in the community. This guide will touch on the different services and funding options that are available and may help you to provide the best care and quality of life possible for your child.

The early years in a child’s development are the most critical. This is a time when a child’s brain and body are developing at a rapid pace. Early intervention is so important. We encourage parents to start investigating supports as soon as their child receives a diagnosis, or even prior to, to help them obtain access to vital services and resources.

Understanding what may have caused your child’s disability or injury could open up other options for funding and services, and can help to ensure that your family’s rights are protected. This can also help to make sure that you are receiving all the eligible services available and that you are being legally compensated to the fullest if there has been an accident or any form of negligence.

Our hope is that this guide will provide some necessary information to assist parents and caregivers with the information and knowledge they need to successfully advocate to health care professionals, medical staff, lawyers, insurance adjustors, and government agencies.

I have been where you are, as have countless others, and while we have captured a lot of valuable information in this guide, we welcome your thoughts, ideas and feedback so we can continue to stay relevant and useful.

To read more, download the full whitepaper