Parents of children with disabilities scramble for supports ahead of Alberta teachers strike

Alberta Teachers’ Association says its members will walk off the job on Oct. 6.

Alberta Education and Childcare Minister Demetrios Nicolaides announced supports for parents if Alberta teachers strike on Monday. But, parents of children with disabilities say he needs to do more. Tiphanie Roquette/Radio-Canada

Michelle Bellefontaine, CBC News Edmonton October 04, 2025

Alberta parents are scrambling to make arrangements for their kids as teachers prepare to strike on Monday, but the situation is even more profound for families of students with disabilities.

Places that offer after-school programs are extending their hours starting next week, but funding provided under Alberta’s Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) doesn’t cover care provided during school hours.

Parents of children who receive the funding are now rushing to find specialized childcare, which comes at a cost of about $25 an hour.

“When you’re talking about disabled kids, we can’t just go to the teenager down the street and ask them to take care of our kids,” said Keltie Marshall, co-founder of Hold My Hand Alberta, a group that advocates for children with disabilities and their families.

Marshall and fellow co-founder, Shantel Mogos, raised their concerns in a letter this week to the director of the FSCD program.

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The province announced this week it would provide parents of children 12 and under with $30 a day per child while the strike is underway.

This doesn’t help the families of middle and high school students with disabilities who need a caregiver during school hours.

The province has made no commitment as to whether it would change the FSCD guidelines to accommodate these students.

CBC News reached out to the Assisted Living and Social Services ministry, which administers the FSCD program, but the response came from the education ministry.

Alberta’s Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said in a statement he is focusing on ensuring families face as little disruption as possible in the event of the strike, but did not answer whether he was going to help children with disabilities.

“I’m listening to parents and taking their concerns seriously,” he said.

“We’ve already shared supports to help with costs and keep kids learning, and we’re working on more ways to help families through this.”

In a government news release sent Friday afternoon, government said it is “exploring ways to enhance supports for families of children with complex needs, in the event of a strike.”

But Marshall said the province needs to do better.

“Our families are just disproportionately hit from all sides,” she said.

“It really just feels like somebody should say, ‘I see this and I have the power to do something about it, so let’s talk.’ And nobody’s doing that right now.”

‘Exploratory conversations’

The Alberta Teachers’ Association has said its members will walk off the job on Oct. 6 if a settlement isn’t reached with the provincial government. The latest deal presented to teachers was rejected by 89.5 per cent of those who voted.

There have been no talks since the vote result was announced Monday evening.

However, the ATA said on Friday that “exploratory conversations” about a negotiated settlement have resumed with the Alberta government.

But the news release emphasized that the strike has not been averted. If job action goes ahead, it will be the first provincewide teacher strike in Alberta history.

The stress of finding alternative care is troubling Edmonton parent Dave White, whose son has cerebral palsy.

The nine-year-old already attends an after-school program at a YMCA in the city. While it is extending hours due to the strike, it is unable to accommodate White’s son because FSCD only pays for a support worker before 9 a.m. or after 3 p.m.

Falling through the gaps

White says it’s frustrating to hear the government talk about supporting families through the strike, when parents and guardians of students with disabilities are left with few options.

“There’s this giant identified gap where children, especially the more vulnerable children who need the extra supports, even just minor extra supports, are falling through the gaps to the point that they’re being excluded from all sorts of activities that they would normally be entitled to,” he said.

The situation could force parents to stay home from work to ensure their child gets proper care. Some families however have exhausted their sick days and vacation time during the education support worker strike earlier this year.

Trish Bowman, CEO of Inclusion Alberta, said that leaves many families in a tough spot.

“If they can’t go to work, employers can only accommodate that for so long, if at all, for a lot of families,” she said.

“So I think the biggest fear for families right now is the potential loss of employment.”

Bowman said the government could make an exception to the FSCD rules and provide funding during school hours for the duration of the strike. She said additional funding could be made available for students over 12 who need a support worker.

As the hours tick down to the Monday deadline, White worries about the impact of a strike on his son who has been thriving and enjoying his Grade 4 class.

“It’s taking away his whole social network really at this point in time,” he said.

“It’s really going to cause an impact on him for sure.”

Michelle Bellefontaine Provincial affairs reporter

Michelle Bellefontaine covers the Alberta legislature for CBC News in Edmonton. She has also worked as a reporter in the Maritimes and in northern Canada.