This research is detailed in our Phase 1 report, The Family Voices Project: Helping Shape the Future of CYSN Services in BC, which has been written in a way that honours the words and experiences of the participants who generously shared their stories and perspectives. Overall, these community conversations provided a valuable platform for families and self-advocates to voice their concerns, share successes and contribute to the future shaping of support services in BC.
A main finding of this research was the importance of and need for family agency, advocacy and engagement. Many parents expressed the feeling that their voices are marginalized in discussions about their child or youth’s needs.
The report provides information that can be used by families to advocate for better support and services and will be used by the Family Support Institute in conversations and advocacy across government ministries.
In Phase 2 (March to July 2025), following the release of the report, we are committed to returning to community. We will present a discussion of our findings from the report, talk about what we learned and what we will do with the information that communities shared with us.