As a parent or caregiver of a child with developmental differences or a child with autism, taking care of yourself and your family means paying attention to all parts of your own well-being — physical, financial, social, spirtiual, emotional, environmental.

These areas are deeply connected. Strengths and challenges in one can easily affect the others, especially when you are working through the ongoing daily commitments of caregiving. Making space for your own needs helps you stay grounded and better able to support your child.

This may include helping you stay on top of your own well being, your family’s needs, and connecting you with local or online resources and supports that can strengthen your family’s overall wellness.

• Pediatric rehabilitation supports for parents and caregivers: Resources for self-care, wellness, and community supports for your family.
• Pediatric rehabilitation caregiver connection: Resources developed and delivered by occupational therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists, social workers, and speech-language pathologists.
• Healthy Parents Healthy Children: Primary Care Albertas’ practical guide to pregnancy and being a parent.
• Family Resource Networks: Supports and services to help Alberta families become resilient, strong, and healthy.
• AIDE Canada: Hub for parents and caregivers with toolkits, webinars, courses, and respite information.
• Centre for Autism Services Alberta: Family coaching, therapy supports, and caregiver capacity-building.
• Stepping Stones Triple P: Helps you manage problem behaviours and developmental issues common in children with disability. Courses vary as seminars, group sessions, or individual sessions.

Financial support is critical as many parents of autistic children experience greater financial stress and hardship.

• Disability tax credit: Income tax credit for supporting family members. Medical practitioner certifies severe or prolonged impairment.
• Child disability benefit: Must be eligible for Canada child benefit and disability tax credit. Medical practitioner must certify that the child has a severe and prolonged impairment.
• Registered disability savings plan (RDSP): Must be receiving disability tax credit. Canada disability savings grant matches 300-100% dependent on family net income.
• First Nations Health Consortium (Jordan’s Principle): Supports First Nations and Inuit children and families with Jordan’s Principle applications in Alberta to ensure children and youth can access required services or supports they need.
• Non-Insured Health Benefits (NHIB): Provides registered First Nations and recognized Inuit with coverage for a specified, nationally consistent range of health benefits not covered through other plans or programs. General NIHB inquiries Telephone (toll free): 1-800-232-7301.