The mother of a special needs child in Grand Forks is making a public appeal for better government support.
Laranna Androsoff says the funding for special needs services in her community hasn’t been increased in nearly eight years.
She points to growing waitlists, and the delay in early intervention services.
It all means children like hers aren’t getting the help they need.
Androsoff’s two-year-old daughter Trinity suffers from a rare brain disease, which slows her development.
That means she needs services that go well beyond the loving care her parents provide, but those services are sorely lacking in her home town.
“For instance, our infant development consultant in the Boundary area is only part-time,” says Androsoff. “That is the issue. There are trained personnel that could fill up these roles, it’s just that the funding is not here to back up the need.”
Her mother has turned to the media to enlist help, writing a news release and letter to the editor, hoping to shine a light on what can be a desperate situation for parents of special needs children who live in remote areas.
“It is a huge geographical area,” says Androsoff. “When you have a child with special needs, you continually have to go over mountain passes to go to specialist appointments. Living in Grand Forks, you need to go to Nelson or Trail to receive those services, and take a day of work, and all those things.”
Trinity’s plight was raised in the legislature this week by her local MLA, who didn’t win much support from the government.
But a Grand Forks family services worker points out improving funding to help special needs children has a positive impact that goes beyond helping just children.
“Child care for kids with special needs keeps families working and contributing to the economy,” says Leda Leander with Boundary Family Services Society. “There is a pressure point there that we really need to address.”
Trinity’s parents intend to keep fighting for her. Her future may be uncertain, but her parents will be right there with her every step of the way even if the government isn’t.
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