Sudbury mother underlines lack of autism supports in northern Ontario

Facing extreme financial hardship and lack of autism support, a northern Ontario family shares the difficult choice it had to make with their child.

A Sudbury mother is sharing her family’s story to raise awareness about the lack of autism supports in northern Ontario, a situation that has forced her to place her nine-year-old daughter in the temporary care of the Children’s Aid Society (CAS) five hours away.

The mother, whose identity is being withheld to protect her child, said her daughter was diagnosed with severe, non-verbal autism and developmental disabilities as a toddler. Despite being placed on the Ontario Autism Program waitlist six years ago, the family has yet to receive the necessary supports – including speech, behavioural, and occupational therapy.

“We – my husband and I – made the very difficult decision to give Children’s Aid temporary care of her for six months. And we were told there’s nowhere for her to be placed in Sudbury,” the mother said.

The family, facing financial strain and a lack of local resources, now only sees their daughter once a month due to the travel expenses required to visit her. The mother described the emotional toll of the separation, saying, “My days off are spent just crying, like, all day long. I just miss her so much. I don’t know if she understands why mommy isn’t here, and that breaks my heart.”

The Sudbury-Manitoulin chapter of CAS has noted an increase in calls from parents of children with disabilities, particularly autism. Elaina Groves, CEO of CAS Sudbury-Manitoulin, emphasized that these children are not in need of protection but rather specialized services.

“When a parent steps up and says, ‘I’m struggling, I’m trying to do the best for my child and I can’t, I need help,’ people turn to us,” Groves said.

“But our position is that they’re not children in need of protection. They’re children in need of services.”

Grooves added that CAS lacks the expertise to provide autism-specific care, highlighting the need for specialized resources in the region.

France Gélinas, Nickel Belt MPP and NDP health critic, passed judgment on the provincial government for failing families like this one.

“We failed this family, and we failed their child. The sad part is, there are hundreds of families like them,” Gélinas said.

She noted that approximately 70,000 children across Ontario are on waitlists for autism services, with northern families facing particularly dire challenges due to a lack of available professionals in the region.

In a statement to CTV News, the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services said it has increased investments in children and youth mental health by more than 25 per cent since 2018 and is working with other ministries to improve access and transitions for children with complex needs.

Meanwhile, the Sudbury mother faces another heart-wrenching decision: renew CAS care for another six months or give up parental rights. She hopes her story will shed light on the need for more funding and support for families of children with complex needs in northern Ontario.

“Families like us should not be separated,” she said.

“I just wish there was more funding and support for kids like this.”