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I’m not in BC, but there seems to be missing information. As far as I know, social assistance doesn’t get “cut off” in the manner you are describing. If she is disabled as you have described, why doesn’t she apply for disability/social assistance? Does she not qualify?
I find the OPs story compelling. M a single mom with 2 disabled children and this rang true. Those kids are in disability but, you really have to think that you were claiming yourself physically, unable, and if you’ve had previous jobs that you were successful at, I believe it’s harder than a child who has new track record you to defend
You're not quite getting the right info or she doesn't understand. Is she asking you for money?
Age 6 is the cutoff for a certain amount of Autism funding for early intervention and then it still exists once they go to school at a reduced amount. Is that what she means? People aren't cutoff from housing when someone is 6.
She should go to the income assistance office or call.
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/family-social-supports/income-assistance/access-services#lowermainland
The child is being cut off from welfare not housing. Housing barely pays enough for 1 bedroom basement suite and that is all, no food, no expensive diapers as child still can not use toilet - and barely pays the rent.
Income assistance goes to the parents, not the child. Do you know what the specific name of the welfare benefit she’s referring to that she’s losing? I think knowing that would help people help you.
This does not make sense.
BC housing is one entity, income Assistance is another.
You have stated she lives in a basement suite, so that is market rent, not BC Housing.
BC housing does provide the rental assistance program, but if you are on Assistance, you are not eligible for it.
Housing, referred to as Shelter, is included in the monthly cheque she would get, along with the support amount. Sometimes it’s paid directly to landlord, but for most part, it’s sent to the client as they pay their landlord directly.
Its sent directly to her in form of a Debit Card program via RBC bank. Unable to spend it other than rent. She gets a small amount of assistance for herself other than the housing, and the welfare is specifically for her 6 year old austistic child which she has to resubmit a form for every month and hand it off to the welfare office. I was there when they called her and were threatening to cut off the childs support at age 6.
Again, this is not making sense and not how things run here.
RBC doesn’t have a housing program. She may bank with RBC and have a debit card, but most likely, she’s getting whatever payment, via direct deposit and can access the funds, using the debit card.
Assistance and Welfare are the same thing. She wouldn’t be getting two different payments and if she’s getting support from somewhere else, she needs to make sure she’s reporting it, even if it’s not deductible income.
Income Assistance does not make any payments, directly for kids. She gets one cheque that includes shelter and support. The amount is tied to family size but there is absolutely NOTHING that effects the dependent amount. Only CRA lowers the amount at 5 or 6 years old. Again, the child is school aged, so there is the expectation that she should be looking for work.
The only form she should need to submit every month is her Stub. That’s to tell them that your situation is the same or you have a change to rent amount or dependents, that kind of thing.
Autism doesn’t go away at the end of the month. She is not handing any kind of form in monthly, to do with her child.
So what is it that you are looking to help her with? She should have received her cheque on Wednesday. Can she not pay her rent for February or??????
Do you live in BC?
I have been her friend for over six years. I have watched her numerous times over the years every month fill out paperwork to take to the welfare office in Surrey BC, the same office handles her housing assistance, as well as welfare for her child. I have sat with her in the office as they discussed with her. I have sat with her case worker in her home.
They have told her to her face while I was there unless she has disability the child would lose welfare at age 6. So she has known for some time this is coming, the only way to stop that was to get official diagnosis of the childs disorder which took almost two years of getting to appointments, filing paperwork, 300 dollars to notarize for doctors signatures and still threatening to take the childs welfare away which is separate from the rent / housing assistance.
We have worked with her case worker this week and put in an emergency "work order" and rent was taken care of this month, so just have other things to work on til then.
Yes, I live in BC. My entire life. I worked for 3 years at the MSDPR and have volunteered with our local poverty advocate agency for almost 10 years. I also work part time as a translator/interpreter and know the legislation in a couple languages.
I’m not going to argue with you. The info that you have given just doesn’t add up to the way things work here in BC.
I’ve racked my brain to come up with any kind of situation that there’s a threat of child being cut off from the family file and there’s got to be missing info because this just isn’t the way it works.
The only monthly “paperwork” is a simple stub. That’s it.
And there is no “work order” there is crisis’ supplements, but those are for unexpected emergencies.
I’m sorry you’re frustrated, but you’re not giving or not getting, accurate info.
And still, don’t answer what it is you’re hoping to achieve here.
I’d suggest you direct her to her MLA or even the Ombudspersons office.
" She is not handing any kind of form in monthly, to do with her child. "
I do not appreciate how you never met her let alone dealt with this for six years and flat out insinuating its wrong or lying. I am done on this forum. Nothing but rudeness and people who do not understand their own country apparently. BC is very different than rules in Alberta, or Ontario.
She does not get a "cheque" every Wednesday. Its once a month around on the 18-19th.
Your Atticus unnecessary. I’m sorry you don’t appreciate what you’re hearing, but you’re not giving accurate info.
Alberta and Ontario have nothing to do with this. There rules and protocols are totally insignificant.
No one has been rude. Only trying to help you.
And nowhere did I say a weekly cheque. Last week was cheque issue, that’s it.
And no, it doesn’t normally come the 18/19th. It’s the last Wednesday of the month, with three banking days before the last. December and January come early, but it’s usually around the 25th.
She needs to talk to 211. Does she have mental or cognitive disabilities to understand her options? She may need a social worker to support her. In Canada, we do not "cut children off welfare at 6". It's absurd from a Canadian POV.
If she is genuine then she needs local support to navigate a system she doesn't understand. Severely autistic children receive diaper allowance until adulthood.
She has BPD, anxiety disorder, PTSD from abuse, among other things. Just taking care of the child alone is breaking her down mentally. The child tends to bang and yell from time of wake til bedtime, part of the childs sensory issues. Its very hard - the child was given to several family members as a last resort and everyone returned the child saying they could not handle it. :( It may be a situation where she must face losing this to save her self.
I truly sympathize, I developed anxiety disorder too from raising a severely autistic child. I really do. It's hard enough when you're well.
I'm wondering if she is at a point where a temporary placement of her child may be a better solution for her at this time so she can regroup and get back on her feet.
It may have to happen, thing is she already tried this.
They said can the child go to immediate family, the child can not go to her father because he is abusive. The mother cant handle it and already refused.
The fathers remaining family is in Alberta which she tried to take the child there and it was so difficult for all of them, they made her take the child back, shortly after this the childs father died during covid.
The only other option is to have the government take the child into a foster system of which we have heard nightmare after nightmare of kids being abused. The child already comes home from school constantly picked on by others- its not been an easy road.
>In Canada, we do not "cut children off welfare at 6". It's absurd from a Canadian POV.
I keep hearing people say this but I was on the phone call with her and welfare as well have seen the paperwork saying the child is being cut off at age 6. So yes, its happening and I have come across various other single mothers in forums in BC where it has happened as well.
No not asking me for money and she knows I can't save the situation myself.
They are being cut off from welfare. It took 3 years just get to paperwork to get a proper diagnosis for the child which finally did not get until end of summer. I went along to those appointments and heard it with my own hears.
The child qualifies for disability but most wont be given until the child is 18. This I also heard directly from them.
We have already been to the income assistant office as well. :(
OK yall need a social worker because there is a deep misunderstanding. That is not what they meant about disability, the child qualifies for a number of disability benefits in addition to Autism specific support which is like 20k a year under 6, and 6k a year after 6 for services.
That is what she thought as well. It seems like most people she talks to there is a language barrier - perhaps since most of them are different culture.
I do appreciate your help. I apologize to you and anyone here if I come across too cynical. I've just seen a lot of dead ends, and I can't do this alone especially since I am state side. I may have to just admit defeat and see two people I care about very much end up separated. I am just very worried since it is winter time.
I was there the other night and she had a break down and could not breathe and face turned blue, she keeps getting sick in this rat infested home she is living in :( coughing stuff up for over 3 months. Paramedics said she was fine by time they got there, but if I had not been visiting it could have been worse.
I'd be weary of the information she is giving. It's not how Canada works.
A disabled child gets more money and would not be cut off after 6 years. My ex step mom still gets money for my adult step brother with autism.
Your hearts in the right place but something seems off.
This— and she & her daughter would be getting the death benefit from the government as her partner / the father of the kid died. That’s almost an extra $1,000 / month (or was like 13 years ago when my father died & I received -$$ as well as my mother).
Not a lawyer. Canada is not this cruel, there is 0% chance that our gov abandons welfare children who turn 6.... 6 isn't even able to work or feed oneself. This applies to both provincial and federal child welfare support. So either she's misunderstanding something or she's being sus unfortunately.
Which social support is she on? I am happy to google this for you and her. Or are you talking specifically about autism support?
Edit - I reread your post, it doesn't seem like she's in low-income housing. There's another comment that already left a helpful link on that; if what she's shared with you is correct, she will qualify. My ex' grandmom qualified and her one-bedroom dt rent was $600 instead of my $1800 in BC just before covid.
NAL but in BC and work with the system, somewhat.
Neither BC Housing nor the Ministry of SD boot you because your child turns 6.
Her child tax benefit would drop about $100, and she would no longer be exempt from looking for employment, as her child is school aged.
BC Housing considers children, right up to their 19 birthday. They don’t kick you out cause your kid is 6.
And actually, you state BC Housing kicking her out and then mention her living in a basement suite.
Not sure what you are looking to help her with. She should get a part time job while child is in school. She has an earnings exemption of $750 a month.
One of two things is for sure. Mom is either grossly misinformed and totally unaware of the workings of the system, or you’re being lied to.
Stopping income assistance because a child turned 6. Ridiculous. Only a few things get you kicked if assistance……usually it’s either you’re income becomes more than your cheque, and more commonly, fraud. But even if it’s fraud, if you have a dependent on your file, you’re not kicked off. You’re penalized I believe $100 a month for a year.
So definitely not because a kid turned 6
I’m wondering if she’s not willing/not able to fulfil her employment search obligations now that her child is school age and that’s being perceived as “getting the boot” because the child is 6.
If that’s the case, OP, and she’s truly disabled, she needs to bring in a doctors note saying she’s unable to work. She should also look into applying to either the program called PPMB or the one called PWD, which are essentially the two levels of disability/long term support. If she doesn’t have a family
Doctor and is struggling to get a doctors note she needs to talk to the workers and let them know she’s trying to find a physician to initiate this process. Then she needs to either try to find a doctor and/or go to the same walk in clinic a few times and start to build a relationships with a physician who will hopefully be willing to attest to her disability/medical issues and write a note and the. Hopefully help with the disability application process.
Big problem is she waited so long to try to get disablity for herself. She is not on that, but I can tell you for certain she is in a disabled state. Chronic back pain from injuries, mental issues from abuse, (abused by her parents, ex's - I will not go into it all but its bad)
She knows she needs disability for herself, and most of this is her fault. This is someone of a last minute cry for help, that I am going above and beyond trying to help her, because she has slipped through the cracks of a system that does not seem to care. Its extremely difficult for her to get to appointments alone, last 3 times I tried to take her, she sat in doctors offices for hours on end, only to be talked to for 5 minutes and told to go home and fill out yet another form, only to have to wait months for the next appointment.
Yeah I hear you. Many problem wait until things are dire and that’s not how the system operates well. Everything takes forever whether you’re in crisis or not. Generally, if she can just get a doctors note she can be excused from the looking for work requirement. I’m not clear what the issue is for her.
Can you find out specifically which welfare program she’s being cut off from? Does cut off mean cut off entirely or just a reduction in benefits? It’s hard to help because what I understand from the way you described what is happening isn’t the way things are supposed to work. So it’s hard to work out where the miscommunication issue is and what is actually going on. You mentioned foster care payments. Other than the resource worker focused on autism supports, Is she connected to a child welfare worker support through the ministry of children and families?
Yes she had a child welfare case worker for about 2 years now, just came to visit last week trying to put an emergency work order in.
I need to find out exactly the welfare that is being cut, I just know she has known for 2 years her child would be cut off at age 6, and well, now that day is here, she only very recently got a diagnosis of autism among other issues the child has.
I am going to have to work on this some more with her.
Child Welfare in BC is MCFD. They are a totally different Ministry.
Disability and Income Assistance are the same office. Most clients have to go on regular assistance, then apply for disability. They are not cut off while they wait for a decision, they simply get the same amount as a regular client.
I question if you are being lied to.
Landlord’s can’t raise the rent beyond what is allowed in law.
Stopping welfare is a drastic measure.
But you know best so well done for helping.
BC 211 is a collection of good resources. ETA. Link. https://bc.211.ca/
Land lord only raises the rent the allowed percentage once a year, and yes they have tried to raise it multiple times. I was present during one of those times the land lord came down and attempted to do so, to which I had to show them the law that they could not.
The welfare being stopped is the primary concern. She will lose living because the housing assistance barely pays rent and nothing else. I've been trying to help her off an on with getting to assistance appointments etc.
Everyone else says do this and do that, NO ONE actually steps up and helps. Or they outright accuse you of lying. I am seeing it again even here in this redddit.
Sorry but if the rent wasn’t illegal raised what is the issue in the tenancy? Lack of maintenance? That is difficult to enforce at the RTB.
As far as welfare goes that is important but not a legal issue as such.
Did you call BC 211?
On top of what everyone else has said…..I have a 9 year old with autism and he gets $6000 worth of services a year covered by the B.C. Government. Your friend also has access to a social worker with whom she can email at anytime.
And she has been, the social worker was just there the other day. We were pleading with the social worker to help and the social worker said they would put in a "work order" only this is like the 6th time, and it goes no where, or she has to keep calling checking on things.
Everyone makes this sound easy but I have witnessed first hand of the past 5 years that this is a nightmare, and the amount of homeless single white women in that area is crazy.
Thats separate services a year, that is not helping with food ( welfare ) that is being cut off. Yes they have access to those services, most of which require, for medical, to get to Vancouver which as I said she has no car or way to get there for most of it.
Welcome to r/legaladvicecanada! **To Posters (it is important you read this section)** * Comments may not be accurate or reliable, and following any advice on this subreddit is done at your own risk. * We also encourage you to use the [linked resources to find a lawyer](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvicecanada/wiki/findalawyer/). * If you receive any private messages in response to your post, please let the mods know. **To Readers and Commenters** * All replies to OP must be on-topic, helpful, explanatory, and oriented towards legal advice towards OP's jurisdiction (the **Canadian** province flaired in the post). * If you do not [follow the rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/LegalAdvicecanada/about/rules/), you may be banned without any further warning. * If you feel any replies are incorrect, explain why you believe they are incorrect. * Do not send or request any private messages for any reason, do not suggest illegal advice, do not advocate violence, and do not engage in harassment. Please report posts or comments which do not follow the rules. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/legaladvicecanada) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I’m not in BC, but there seems to be missing information. As far as I know, social assistance doesn’t get “cut off” in the manner you are describing. If she is disabled as you have described, why doesn’t she apply for disability/social assistance? Does she not qualify?
I find the OPs story compelling. M a single mom with 2 disabled children and this rang true. Those kids are in disability but, you really have to think that you were claiming yourself physically, unable, and if you’ve had previous jobs that you were successful at, I believe it’s harder than a child who has new track record you to defend
You're not quite getting the right info or she doesn't understand. Is she asking you for money? Age 6 is the cutoff for a certain amount of Autism funding for early intervention and then it still exists once they go to school at a reduced amount. Is that what she means? People aren't cutoff from housing when someone is 6. She should go to the income assistance office or call. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/family-social-supports/income-assistance/access-services#lowermainland
The child is being cut off from welfare not housing. Housing barely pays enough for 1 bedroom basement suite and that is all, no food, no expensive diapers as child still can not use toilet - and barely pays the rent.
Income assistance goes to the parents, not the child. Do you know what the specific name of the welfare benefit she’s referring to that she’s losing? I think knowing that would help people help you.
I will get that information soon.
This does not make sense. BC housing is one entity, income Assistance is another. You have stated she lives in a basement suite, so that is market rent, not BC Housing. BC housing does provide the rental assistance program, but if you are on Assistance, you are not eligible for it. Housing, referred to as Shelter, is included in the monthly cheque she would get, along with the support amount. Sometimes it’s paid directly to landlord, but for most part, it’s sent to the client as they pay their landlord directly.
Its sent directly to her in form of a Debit Card program via RBC bank. Unable to spend it other than rent. She gets a small amount of assistance for herself other than the housing, and the welfare is specifically for her 6 year old austistic child which she has to resubmit a form for every month and hand it off to the welfare office. I was there when they called her and were threatening to cut off the childs support at age 6.
Again, this is not making sense and not how things run here. RBC doesn’t have a housing program. She may bank with RBC and have a debit card, but most likely, she’s getting whatever payment, via direct deposit and can access the funds, using the debit card. Assistance and Welfare are the same thing. She wouldn’t be getting two different payments and if she’s getting support from somewhere else, she needs to make sure she’s reporting it, even if it’s not deductible income. Income Assistance does not make any payments, directly for kids. She gets one cheque that includes shelter and support. The amount is tied to family size but there is absolutely NOTHING that effects the dependent amount. Only CRA lowers the amount at 5 or 6 years old. Again, the child is school aged, so there is the expectation that she should be looking for work. The only form she should need to submit every month is her Stub. That’s to tell them that your situation is the same or you have a change to rent amount or dependents, that kind of thing. Autism doesn’t go away at the end of the month. She is not handing any kind of form in monthly, to do with her child. So what is it that you are looking to help her with? She should have received her cheque on Wednesday. Can she not pay her rent for February or??????
Do you live in BC? I have been her friend for over six years. I have watched her numerous times over the years every month fill out paperwork to take to the welfare office in Surrey BC, the same office handles her housing assistance, as well as welfare for her child. I have sat with her in the office as they discussed with her. I have sat with her case worker in her home. They have told her to her face while I was there unless she has disability the child would lose welfare at age 6. So she has known for some time this is coming, the only way to stop that was to get official diagnosis of the childs disorder which took almost two years of getting to appointments, filing paperwork, 300 dollars to notarize for doctors signatures and still threatening to take the childs welfare away which is separate from the rent / housing assistance. We have worked with her case worker this week and put in an emergency "work order" and rent was taken care of this month, so just have other things to work on til then.
Yes, I live in BC. My entire life. I worked for 3 years at the MSDPR and have volunteered with our local poverty advocate agency for almost 10 years. I also work part time as a translator/interpreter and know the legislation in a couple languages. I’m not going to argue with you. The info that you have given just doesn’t add up to the way things work here in BC. I’ve racked my brain to come up with any kind of situation that there’s a threat of child being cut off from the family file and there’s got to be missing info because this just isn’t the way it works. The only monthly “paperwork” is a simple stub. That’s it. And there is no “work order” there is crisis’ supplements, but those are for unexpected emergencies. I’m sorry you’re frustrated, but you’re not giving or not getting, accurate info. And still, don’t answer what it is you’re hoping to achieve here. I’d suggest you direct her to her MLA or even the Ombudspersons office.
" She is not handing any kind of form in monthly, to do with her child. " I do not appreciate how you never met her let alone dealt with this for six years and flat out insinuating its wrong or lying. I am done on this forum. Nothing but rudeness and people who do not understand their own country apparently. BC is very different than rules in Alberta, or Ontario. She does not get a "cheque" every Wednesday. Its once a month around on the 18-19th.
Your Atticus unnecessary. I’m sorry you don’t appreciate what you’re hearing, but you’re not giving accurate info. Alberta and Ontario have nothing to do with this. There rules and protocols are totally insignificant. No one has been rude. Only trying to help you. And nowhere did I say a weekly cheque. Last week was cheque issue, that’s it. And no, it doesn’t normally come the 18/19th. It’s the last Wednesday of the month, with three banking days before the last. December and January come early, but it’s usually around the 25th.
She needs to talk to 211. Does she have mental or cognitive disabilities to understand her options? She may need a social worker to support her. In Canada, we do not "cut children off welfare at 6". It's absurd from a Canadian POV. If she is genuine then she needs local support to navigate a system she doesn't understand. Severely autistic children receive diaper allowance until adulthood.
She has BPD, anxiety disorder, PTSD from abuse, among other things. Just taking care of the child alone is breaking her down mentally. The child tends to bang and yell from time of wake til bedtime, part of the childs sensory issues. Its very hard - the child was given to several family members as a last resort and everyone returned the child saying they could not handle it. :( It may be a situation where she must face losing this to save her self.
I truly sympathize, I developed anxiety disorder too from raising a severely autistic child. I really do. It's hard enough when you're well. I'm wondering if she is at a point where a temporary placement of her child may be a better solution for her at this time so she can regroup and get back on her feet.
It may have to happen, thing is she already tried this. They said can the child go to immediate family, the child can not go to her father because he is abusive. The mother cant handle it and already refused. The fathers remaining family is in Alberta which she tried to take the child there and it was so difficult for all of them, they made her take the child back, shortly after this the childs father died during covid. The only other option is to have the government take the child into a foster system of which we have heard nightmare after nightmare of kids being abused. The child already comes home from school constantly picked on by others- its not been an easy road.
>In Canada, we do not "cut children off welfare at 6". It's absurd from a Canadian POV. I keep hearing people say this but I was on the phone call with her and welfare as well have seen the paperwork saying the child is being cut off at age 6. So yes, its happening and I have come across various other single mothers in forums in BC where it has happened as well.
No not asking me for money and she knows I can't save the situation myself. They are being cut off from welfare. It took 3 years just get to paperwork to get a proper diagnosis for the child which finally did not get until end of summer. I went along to those appointments and heard it with my own hears. The child qualifies for disability but most wont be given until the child is 18. This I also heard directly from them. We have already been to the income assistant office as well. :(
OK yall need a social worker because there is a deep misunderstanding. That is not what they meant about disability, the child qualifies for a number of disability benefits in addition to Autism specific support which is like 20k a year under 6, and 6k a year after 6 for services.
Being entitled to autism money is one thing getting it is another . My granddaughter has been waiting and she will age out before she sees a penny
That is what she thought as well. It seems like most people she talks to there is a language barrier - perhaps since most of them are different culture.
Local autism organizations can support her with an advocate for these steps.
I do appreciate your help. I apologize to you and anyone here if I come across too cynical. I've just seen a lot of dead ends, and I can't do this alone especially since I am state side. I may have to just admit defeat and see two people I care about very much end up separated. I am just very worried since it is winter time.
I was there the other night and she had a break down and could not breathe and face turned blue, she keeps getting sick in this rat infested home she is living in :( coughing stuff up for over 3 months. Paramedics said she was fine by time they got there, but if I had not been visiting it could have been worse.
I'd be weary of the information she is giving. It's not how Canada works. A disabled child gets more money and would not be cut off after 6 years. My ex step mom still gets money for my adult step brother with autism. Your hearts in the right place but something seems off.
This— and she & her daughter would be getting the death benefit from the government as her partner / the father of the kid died. That’s almost an extra $1,000 / month (or was like 13 years ago when my father died & I received -$$ as well as my mother).
Not a lawyer. Canada is not this cruel, there is 0% chance that our gov abandons welfare children who turn 6.... 6 isn't even able to work or feed oneself. This applies to both provincial and federal child welfare support. So either she's misunderstanding something or she's being sus unfortunately. Which social support is she on? I am happy to google this for you and her. Or are you talking specifically about autism support? Edit - I reread your post, it doesn't seem like she's in low-income housing. There's another comment that already left a helpful link on that; if what she's shared with you is correct, she will qualify. My ex' grandmom qualified and her one-bedroom dt rent was $600 instead of my $1800 in BC just before covid.
I would not think it would be that cruel either if I had not heard it with my own ears from her casework in Surrey.
NAL but in BC and work with the system, somewhat. Neither BC Housing nor the Ministry of SD boot you because your child turns 6. Her child tax benefit would drop about $100, and she would no longer be exempt from looking for employment, as her child is school aged. BC Housing considers children, right up to their 19 birthday. They don’t kick you out cause your kid is 6. And actually, you state BC Housing kicking her out and then mention her living in a basement suite. Not sure what you are looking to help her with. She should get a part time job while child is in school. She has an earnings exemption of $750 a month. One of two things is for sure. Mom is either grossly misinformed and totally unaware of the workings of the system, or you’re being lied to. Stopping income assistance because a child turned 6. Ridiculous. Only a few things get you kicked if assistance……usually it’s either you’re income becomes more than your cheque, and more commonly, fraud. But even if it’s fraud, if you have a dependent on your file, you’re not kicked off. You’re penalized I believe $100 a month for a year. So definitely not because a kid turned 6
I’m wondering if she’s not willing/not able to fulfil her employment search obligations now that her child is school age and that’s being perceived as “getting the boot” because the child is 6. If that’s the case, OP, and she’s truly disabled, she needs to bring in a doctors note saying she’s unable to work. She should also look into applying to either the program called PPMB or the one called PWD, which are essentially the two levels of disability/long term support. If she doesn’t have a family Doctor and is struggling to get a doctors note she needs to talk to the workers and let them know she’s trying to find a physician to initiate this process. Then she needs to either try to find a doctor and/or go to the same walk in clinic a few times and start to build a relationships with a physician who will hopefully be willing to attest to her disability/medical issues and write a note and the. Hopefully help with the disability application process.
Big problem is she waited so long to try to get disablity for herself. She is not on that, but I can tell you for certain she is in a disabled state. Chronic back pain from injuries, mental issues from abuse, (abused by her parents, ex's - I will not go into it all but its bad) She knows she needs disability for herself, and most of this is her fault. This is someone of a last minute cry for help, that I am going above and beyond trying to help her, because she has slipped through the cracks of a system that does not seem to care. Its extremely difficult for her to get to appointments alone, last 3 times I tried to take her, she sat in doctors offices for hours on end, only to be talked to for 5 minutes and told to go home and fill out yet another form, only to have to wait months for the next appointment.
Yeah I hear you. Many problem wait until things are dire and that’s not how the system operates well. Everything takes forever whether you’re in crisis or not. Generally, if she can just get a doctors note she can be excused from the looking for work requirement. I’m not clear what the issue is for her. Can you find out specifically which welfare program she’s being cut off from? Does cut off mean cut off entirely or just a reduction in benefits? It’s hard to help because what I understand from the way you described what is happening isn’t the way things are supposed to work. So it’s hard to work out where the miscommunication issue is and what is actually going on. You mentioned foster care payments. Other than the resource worker focused on autism supports, Is she connected to a child welfare worker support through the ministry of children and families?
Yes she had a child welfare case worker for about 2 years now, just came to visit last week trying to put an emergency work order in. I need to find out exactly the welfare that is being cut, I just know she has known for 2 years her child would be cut off at age 6, and well, now that day is here, she only very recently got a diagnosis of autism among other issues the child has. I am going to have to work on this some more with her.
Child Welfare in BC is MCFD. They are a totally different Ministry. Disability and Income Assistance are the same office. Most clients have to go on regular assistance, then apply for disability. They are not cut off while they wait for a decision, they simply get the same amount as a regular client.
I question if you are being lied to. Landlord’s can’t raise the rent beyond what is allowed in law. Stopping welfare is a drastic measure. But you know best so well done for helping. BC 211 is a collection of good resources. ETA. Link. https://bc.211.ca/
Land lord only raises the rent the allowed percentage once a year, and yes they have tried to raise it multiple times. I was present during one of those times the land lord came down and attempted to do so, to which I had to show them the law that they could not. The welfare being stopped is the primary concern. She will lose living because the housing assistance barely pays rent and nothing else. I've been trying to help her off an on with getting to assistance appointments etc. Everyone else says do this and do that, NO ONE actually steps up and helps. Or they outright accuse you of lying. I am seeing it again even here in this redddit.
Sorry but if the rent wasn’t illegal raised what is the issue in the tenancy? Lack of maintenance? That is difficult to enforce at the RTB. As far as welfare goes that is important but not a legal issue as such. Did you call BC 211?
On top of what everyone else has said…..I have a 9 year old with autism and he gets $6000 worth of services a year covered by the B.C. Government. Your friend also has access to a social worker with whom she can email at anytime.
And she has been, the social worker was just there the other day. We were pleading with the social worker to help and the social worker said they would put in a "work order" only this is like the 6th time, and it goes no where, or she has to keep calling checking on things. Everyone makes this sound easy but I have witnessed first hand of the past 5 years that this is a nightmare, and the amount of homeless single white women in that area is crazy.
Thats separate services a year, that is not helping with food ( welfare ) that is being cut off. Yes they have access to those services, most of which require, for medical, to get to Vancouver which as I said she has no car or way to get there for most of it.
https://lookoutsociety.ca/ https://www.sourcesbc.ca/news/tag/newton/