Category: Special needs advocacy
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Survivable
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in Advocacy, Advocacy & Action, Autism, Autism & Complex Needs, Autism parenting, BC Legislation and Policy, Bennett’s Story, Bring Bennett Home, British Columbia, Caregiver & Parent Rights, Child Protection, Child welfare, Disability and Justice, Disability Rights, family advocacy, Family Seperation, Human Rights and Disability Justice, Human Rights in Canada, Human Stories, MCFD, MCFD / Government Accountability, MCFD Accountability, Motherhood & Resilience, Parent Advocacy, Parent Voice, Parental Rights, Parents navigating the system, social justice, Special needs advocacy, Special needs parenting, System & Policy, Systemic Accountability, Systemic Failures, traumaThere is a particular kind of exhaustion that comes from fighting a system that doesn’t acknowledge it’s fighting back. For months after Bennett went into care, that was my life. I was showing up — to visits, to phone calls, to meetings — and hitting walls I couldn’t see, couldn’t name, and couldn’t get anyone…
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Unable. Not Unwilling.
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in Advocacy, Autism & Complex Needs, Bennett’s Story, British Columbia, Child Protection, Child welfare, Child Welfare Reform, Disability and Justice, Disability Rights, family advocacy, Family Seperation, Human Rights and Disability Justice, Human Rights in Canada, Human Stories, MCFD, MCFD / Government Accountability, MCFD Accountability, Motherhood & Resilience, Parent Advocacy, Parent Voice, Parents navigating the system, Safety & Rights, social justice, Special needs advocacy, Special needs parenting, System & Policy, Systemic Accountability, Systemic Failures, systemic negligence, traumaDarian, a mother of seven-year-old Bennett, shares her struggles with the child welfare system that led to her son’s removal due to insufficient support instead of harm or neglect. Bennett has complex support needs, and despite Darian’s persistent efforts to secure appropriate resources, the system failed to provide them, resulting in his placement in out-of-home…
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My sons emojis said what MCFD won’t hear
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in Bennett’s Story, Bring Bennett Home, Child Welfare Reform, Disability and Justice, Disability Rights, family advocacy, Family law, Human Rights and Disability Justice, Human Rights in Canada, Human Stories, MCFD / Government Accountability, MCFD Accountability, Parent Advocacy, Parent Voice, Parental Rights, social justice, Special needs advocacy, Special needs parenting, Systemic Failures in BC, systemic negligence, traumaBefore MCFD removed my son, his father had no guardianship and saw him four hours every two weeks — supervised. Since removal, that’s been increased to 12 hours a week, supervised only by his father’s wife, who has no training in his complex care needs. My son has autism, ADHD, a G-tube, PDA, developmental delay,…
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The Ministry Ignored the Court’s Decision. My Advocate Fought Back.
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in Advocacy & Action, Bennett’s Story, Bring Bennett Home, British Columbia, Child Protection, Child welfare, Child Welfare Reform, Disability Rights, Human Rights and Disability Justice, Human Rights in Canada, MCFD, Parent Advocacy, Parental Rights, social justice, Special needs advocacy, System & Policy, Systemic Failures in BC, systemic negligenceAfter four full days of court, the judge determined that child protection concerns against me were unsubstantiated. So why is my son still in care? Because I was honest about needing support—and now that honesty is being used as the weapon to keep us apart. This morning, my advocate sent a letter to MCFD leadership…
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They Took My Son Three Days After I Said No
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in Autism parenting, Bennett’s Story, Bring Bennett Home, British Columbia, Child Protection, Child Welfare Reform, complex care, Disability Rights, family advocacy, Family law, Human Rights in Canada, Parental Rights, social justice, Special needs advocacy, Special needs parenting, Systemic Failures in BC, systemic negligenceWhat happens when a special needs parent advocates too loudly? When you question a placement, raise safety concerns, or simply say ‘no’ to the Ministry? In my case, they took my son. This is the story of a removal that should never have happened—and a fight to bring Bennett home.
Unsilenced 