New to BC? Where Families of Kids with Complex Needs Can Start

When our family moved from Massachusetts to Vancouver, we had to learn a new system almost from scratch: new programs, new acronyms, new waitlists. This guide is the list we wish someone had handed us. It covers where to find information, who can support you as a parent, and which programs to look into first. Each section links to a more detailed guide.

Last checked October 2026. Programs change, so confirm details with each organization.

Start with a directory

• BC Disability Directory: a searchable list of BC disability services, sorted by category (arts, education, advocacy, housing, funding, health and more).
• BC211: the province's general service finder. The BC government points families here for current disability service listings. You can search online, call, or text 211.

Find other parents

• Family Support Institute of BC (FSI): free and province-wide. Call or fill out a form, and FSI matches you with a trained volunteer parent based on your region, your child's age, diagnosis, and experience. They also run online groups for dads, single parents, grief, and more.
• BC Complex Kids: a private Facebook group for BC parents of kids with complex medical needs. Search the name on Facebook and request to join.
• Cerebral Palsy Association of BC: family support, help with funding applications, a CP Connections group, free online adapted yoga and dance, plus an equipment fund, camperships, and education bursaries.

BC Children's Hospital

BC Children's in Vancouver is the province's pediatric hospital, and the former Sunny Hill Health Centre programs moved onto its main campus in 2020. A few services worth knowing early:

• SPROUT (Specialized Pediatric Rehabilitation Outpatient): intensive outpatient rehab for kids up to 19 with complex needs, for example before or after surgery or after a hospital stay. Plans run 2 to 12 weeks. It needs a referral from your child's care team. More in our Vancouver physiotherapy guide.
• Complex Care: coordinated care for children and youth with the most complex and chronic medical needs. Ask your pediatrician or specialist whether a referral makes sense.
• BC Family Residence Program: help with accommodation costs so families can stay together when a child needs care at BC Children's. There are income limits.
• Sibling Support Centre: short-term care for brothers and sisters while you're at an appointment.
• Coming in 2028: a new BC Children's centre for health complexity on the old Sunny Hill site at Slocan Street and 21st Avenue, for kids and youth up to 19 with complex needs, including short family stays.

Early therapy (birth to kindergarten)

BC Centre for Ability in Vancouver runs Early Intervention Therapy for children from birth to kindergarten age who live in Vancouver, Burnaby, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, or Richmond. Physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and social work can happen at home, at daycare or preschool, or at their office. Their Supported Child Development program helps kids with disabilities take part in regular childcare in Vancouver and Burnaby.

Government programs and equipment

The At Home Program, Red Cross equipment loans, and BC equipment funds are covered in Funding and Equipment in BC.

Sports, recreation, and camps

See Adaptive Sports and Recreation Around Vancouver and Summer Camps in BC.

Know a BC resource we missed? Join the NextAbilities community and share it. We'll keep this list current.