Letter to Premier: L. Bjarnason, Comox Valley IDP

November 17, 2009

Premier Gordon Campbell
P.O. Box 9041 Stn. Prov Govt
Victoria B.C.
V8W 9E1

Dear Honorable Gordan Campbell,

Recently the Provincial Liberal government announced the ending of funding for the Provincial Advisory Offices of the Infant Development Program, Supported Child Development Program, and the Aboriginal Infant Development Program. I was not only shocked but also utterly dismayed that this decision was made with so little time and opportunity to evaluate the immediate and, most critically, the long-term outcome of this decision. I understand the economic crisis we are facing in British Columbia and the fact that government needs to find ways to best evaluate how to serve the people but I believe that the savings in this instance will not benefit children with special needs and their families in the long term not to mention the long term costs if early intervention services do not maintain the integrity and quality we currently experience in the province of BC. I also believe that this cut is not well understood by the general public and misinformation is being reported or interpreted by the general public but I also believe that government may not truly understand the impacts this decision will have on early interventions services for children. I also believe that families who are currently using these services may also not understand the long-term impacts of losing the provincial offices and I believe that families with children who require these services have enough to focus on without having to challenge this decision or worry about misinformation that their local service will be cut.

I work in the Infant Development Program as a consultant and I feel compelled to share some of my concerns, and understanding about the considerable impacts that will occur if we lose these valuable provincial advisors.

The reasons for this are:

British Columbia is a large diverse province and while most of its citizens live in the Lower Mainland, not all families with children who require extra supports do. They do not have the option to pick up and leave their communities when they need extra services for their children. Even if they could do so, the supports from community, family, extended family as well as employment may not be there. In many outlying areas there are not many specialized services, but having a provincial office connects the early intervention service providers in small communities to a large network of information and colleagues to support and confer with. There may not be many specialists in these communities but the generalists who are working with the families have opportunities to increase their knowledge and expertise through in-services, work-shops and courses that can be brought back to the community.

Service providers do not have the connections and time to research what is current and leading edge in the field. By having experienced and connected provincial personnel we all benefit, and this knowledge and information is disseminated to the practitioners. This is one reason why people in this field are up to date with best practices in early intervention.

I was involved in Supported Child Development before there was a provincial office for Supported Child Development. Programs and services for SCD throughout the province were delivered at the interpretation of those in charge of the contracts. Therefore it looked different, did not often provide the intended service and was frustrating for both families and service providers. Although SCD was administered locally, it was the communities that had connection to members of the Provincial Steering committee that delivered the service as it was envisioned. Under provincial leadership Supported Child Development has come forward as a cohesive and solid service and continues to grow and experience the benefits of what the Infant Development of BC has had the opportunity to develop over the past 30 years. The Provincial offices are the foundation of high quality early intervention services and programs. It is likely because of the high caliber of professionalism, education and leadership we currently experience that the impacts of losing these offices won’t immediately be felt in the short term but I believe that in the long term families and programs will be negatively impacted.

The Provincial offices are recognized and respected nationally and internationally as a high quality leadership of excellence of early intervention services for children with extra needs. Please don’t cut the funding of the Provincial Offices.



Yours truly,



Lee Bjarnason
Comox Valley Infant Development Program