07/31/2026
Like so many Albertans, I have been heartbroken by what happened to Parker.
While the investigation will determine exactly what happened, I hope this tragedy becomes a turning point for Alberta to take a hard look at the systems that are supposed to support children with disabilities and the families who love them.
We cannot continue reacting after a child is hurt. We need to start fixing the cracks in the system before another family experiences an unimaginable loss.
Here are just a few of the changes that need urgent attention:
• Earlier access to screening and diagnosis. Families shouldn’t spend months or years waiting for answers while critical early intervention opportunities are lost.
• Reduce FSCD wait times. Waiting 18–24 months for Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) approvals is simply unacceptable. Children don’t stop needing support while paperwork sits in a queue.
• Better training for professionals in inclusive settings. Childcare educators, school staff, and support professionals need practical, specialized training to safely support children with complex needs. Inclusion is more than placing a child in a classroom—it means providing the knowledge and resources to help them succeed safely.
• Proper funding for classroom supports. Training educators to “do more with less” is not a solution. Schools and childcare programs need access to the staffing and resources required to keep every child safe—not just those with disabilities, but every child in the classroom.
• A childcare system that reflects reality. Families are desperate for childcare. Too often, parents fear that disclosing their child’s disability will mean they won’t find care, so providers don’t learn about significant support needs until after a child has started. Childcare programs then scramble to find additional staff, often paying for those supports themselves while trying to make inclusion work.
When a childcare program eventually tells a family they can no longer safely care for their child, many parents believe the program is discriminating against them.
The reality is usually much harder.
We are saying, “We cannot safely supervise your child with the resources we have.”
No educator wants to tell a family they cannot continue providing care. But it is far more responsible to be honest than to pretend everything is fine until a child elopes, is injured, or another child is harmed because the supports simply weren’t there.
This is not a failure of parents.
This is not a failure of educators.
This is a failure of a system that expects families and childcare providers to solve problems without giving them the resources they need.
I’m asking the Alberta Government to make this a priority.
If you work in childcare, education, health care, or if you are the parent of a child with additional needs, please contact your local MLA and Premier Danielle Smith. Share your experiences. Tell them what needs to change. Ask them to invest in early intervention, reduce FSCD wait times, improve training, and properly fund the supports children need.
Let’s not wait until another family is grieving before we act.
Our children deserve better. Our families deserve better. And the educators who care for them deserve better.
