BCGEU: rescind closure of home for special needs children

'The minister may not know what is going on in his own ministry.' - George Heyman

Victoria (5 March 2008) - The B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU/NUPGE) has reacted with shock to the news that Community Living British Columbia (CLBC) has ordered the closure of Corner House, a unique respite care resource located in Victoria.

The agency reports to Tom Christensen, minister of children and family development (MCFD).

Corner House supports families by providing short-term, 24-hour care to children with developmental disabilities. Parents and caregivers who depend on this service say it gives them a break, time for themselves and much-needed relief from the responsibilities and demands of caring for children with complex needs.

"I think it is outrageous that at the same time that Tom Christensen brags that budget allocations for his ministry have never been higher, his representatives at CLBC are closing needed services for vulnerable kids by pleading poverty," says George Heyman, BCGEU president. "The minister may not know what is going on in his own ministry. In either case Christensen should reverse this ill-conceived closure immediately."

Last week, with no prior notice, CLBC served 60-day notice on this long-standing and well-respected resource operated by Moncrieff Enterprises Ltd., which has provided care to special needs children for nearly 20 years. Ongoing budget problems at CLBC have been given as the reason for this closure.

Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, B.C.'s representative for children and youth, issued a highly critical report on Feb. 26 slamming the Liberals for creating a complex and fragmented service delivery system for children and youth with special needs. The representative also noted that support services, such as those provided by Corner House, are often lacking for parents who require or desire assistance.

News reports also indicate CLBC is cutting the funding to the Burnaby facility-L'Arche Greater Vancouver-that cares for developmentally disabled adults. While the BCGEU does not represent workers at L'Arche, the concerns about funding cuts by CLBC are the same as Corner House.

"There are indications that CLBC has gone off the rails and the minister needs to act now to straighten out the growing problems at the organization," said Heyman.

Seventeen BCGEU members who work at Corner House will be impacted by this closure. Parents of the children served by the resource will be forced to make alternate arrangements for their children in an environment where there are huge waitlists for the few services available. NUPGE