To the Honourable the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, in Legislature Assembled:

The petition of the undersigned, residents of British Columbia respectfully state that:

WHEREAS the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD), under provincial authority and British Columbia law, is responsible for the delivery of child and family services and supports that promote the safety and well-being of children and youth across British Columbia;

AND WHEREAS MCFD’s Service Plan 2026-2029 commits to strengthening services for children and youth with support needs, improving early intervention, expanding respite and key worker supports, and delivering flexible and family-centered services;

AND WHEREAS many children and youth currently receiving Autism Funding and other disability-related supports rely on established services and long-standing therapeutic relationships that are essential to their development, health, and stability, and that support self determination/agency, family well-being, and participation in community;

AND WHEREAS the Province of British Columbia has announced plans to transition to a broader Children and Youth with Support Needs (CYSN) service model intended to expand access to services for children and youth with a wider range of disabilities and support needs;

AND WHEREAS improving access to supports for additional children and youth with disabilities is an important step toward a more equitable system for families across British Columbia;

AND WHEREAS families across the province require assurance that expanding eligibility for supports will not result in reductions, disruptions, or loss of services for children and youth who currently rely on Autism Funding and other disability supports;

THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the Honourable House to urge the Government of British Columbia to:

- Ensure continuity of flexible individualized services, and support for children and youth currently receiving Autism Funding or other disability-related supports by fully offering Legacy Status for all such children and families, with no interruption or reductions, and ensuring they remain eligible under the proposed CYSN model during and after the transition, including access to any other supports for which they qualify.

- Honour existing clinical diagnoses and service plans obtained in good faith under the current system, recognizing the importance of stability and trusted relationships with service providers to include all children who would experience gaps in the CYSN model.

- Advance the Province’s current proposed CYSN service model and implementation timeline, with clearly defined Legacy Status provisions for children and youth currently receiving Autism Funding or other disability-related supports, so that the expanded access for children and youth with other disabilities can proceed without delay.

- Ensure that the expansion of the CYSN service model is accompanied by safeguards, and implementation measures that protect existing flexible and individualized services, so that support for currently served children and youth is not reduced or displaced.

- Release transparent implementation plans, transition supports (including a helpdesk), timelines, and an appeals process prior to implementing changes to the CYSN service model.

- Work collaboratively with families, service providers, and community organizations to monitor, evaluate, and improve the system to ensure equitable and accessible support for all children and youth with disabilities across British Columbia.