Changes to Funding for Children with Autism and Other Support Needs
Photo by Hoi An and Da Nang Photographer
On February 10, 2026, the B.C. government unveiled a new funding model for children and youth with autism and other support needs, that the province estimates will provide funding for about 48,000 children.
Jodie Wickens, Minister for Children and Family Development, announced that the new framework will replace the Autism Funding Unit (AFU), School Aged Extended Therapies (SAET), and the At Home Program (AHP) with the BC Children and Youth Disability Benefit ($6,500 or $17,000 annually based on support needs), a Disability Supplement for eligible families, and expanded community-based services. Transitions will begin in Spring 2026, with full implementation expected by 2027–2028. The new needs-based model is expected to support approximately 48,000 children, up from 30,000.
The province acknowledged that their original attempt in 2021 had “missed the mark”, and that after consultation with families, who had expressed the need for more funding and flexibility, the revised program was developed. Minister Wickens noted, “There are thousands of children and families who feel that they have been left behind by the current system. Families of children and youth with Down syndrome, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, intellectual disabilities, and many more under these new programs will be receiving direct support for the very first time.”
A February 11 report by Brenna Owen for CBC news reported, “The changes include the introduction of a complex-needs disability benefit based on what Wickens’ ministry describes as ‘functional impact’, rather than diagnosis alone, while a separate disability supplement will be means tested.
The Ministry said the disability benefit, ranging from $6,500 to $17,000 per year, will reach up to 15,000 children with prolonged disability or complex developmental support needs, or those whose needs ‘create significant challenges in daily life’.”
The news report noted that Jennifer Charlesworth, B.C.’s Representative for Children and Youth, “said thousands of families and caregivers have shared with her office that ‘it’s not their children who exhaust them’, rather it was navigating the system that weighed them down..... She told [the] news conference that she was hopeful the changes will translate into substantial, on-the-ground improvements in young people’s lives.”
Families can review the Guide for Current Service Recipients and find comprehensive information on the Ministry website:
ACT will continue to share updates as more details become available. The Ministry can be reached at MCF.childrenyouthsupportneeds@gov.bc.ca or 1-844-442-2800.
MLA contact information is available at: