British Columbia鈥檚 children鈥檚 representative says in the 18 years her office has been in place, the province has been slow to respond to the growing needs of children with disabilities and their families, often reacting to tragedies rather than making improvements.

With a promised change on the horizon, Jennifer Charlesworth says B.C. needs a collective approach across ministries to ensure that critical progress actually happens.

The latest report from her office says up to 83,000 young people with disabilities are not receiving adequate services in the province, and that while spending increased by 190 per cent in the last 18 years the majority of that went to salaries and a narrow set of programs.

Charlesworth is calling for immediate funding increases, stronger mental health services, equitable access to education and supports and a cross-government data management system.

Her calls to action come ahead of a final report expected this year on a revamp of the provincial framework of services provided to children and youth with disabilities that was paused in 2022after significant pushback from families.

A statement from Charlesworth says a 鈥渟taggering鈥� number of families are at their breaking point amid the underfunded system that is almost impossible to navigate.

鈥淭his prolonged under-resourcing is resulting in heartbreaking and frankly shocking situations that should be a wake-up call for us all,鈥� she said.

鈥淲e listened to families tell us they would give up their kids to get the care they needed, there were others who were close to harming themselves and their children because they saw no other answers, and still others who have been waiting on wait-lists as they watch their kids lose their childhood.鈥�