Alberta's waitlist for child disability support has grown to three-plus years
More than 20,000 kids are waiting for a caseworker to access speech therapy, behavioural support, and other treatments for autism and disabilities.
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An estimated 20,000 children in Alberta are stuck waiting for help they've already been approved to receive.
Families are facing three or more years of delays to access caseworkers through the Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) program, which covers the costs of speech therapy, behavioural treatment, and other specialized support for children with autism and various disabilities. Many children have already been deemed eligible and signed initial contracts — but cannot access funding until a provincial caseworker is assigned.
Caseworkers told their union the program receives around 500 new applications each month, but staffing hasn't kept pace. Many caseworkers carry caseloads of 120 to 150 clients, well above recommended levels.
"A lot of our members work with moral distress, because they know the damage this wait has on children," said Alberta Union of Provincial Employees president Sandra Azocar.
Parents on the waitlist told CBC they are losing jobs, taking on debt to pay for therapy privately, and watching their children get kicked out of daycare and schools. One Edmonton woman said she postponed cancer treatment because she couldn't access respite care for her three-year-old autistic son.
The province announced $271 million in Budget 2026 funding for FSCD but has not confirmed the waitlist numbers. Active cases have actually declined to 18,584 in 2026 from 20,033 two years prior, despite the funding increase.