HSA Advocating for Members and Community Affected by Starbright Closure

Kane Tse, President of the Health Sciences Association, has released the following statement about Starbright Children’s Development Centre in Kelowna:

“Earlier this week, families with children needing specialized support services in Kelowna received terrible news.

Starbright Children’s Development Centre has been providing children with autism and development support needs with critically-important intervention therapies for decades. The non-profit organization has deep community roots and trusted relationships with the families who depend on it. Now it is facing imminent closure.

Families have been plunged into uncertainty about the support their children need. And almost 60 highly-skilled, experienced and specialized professionals– physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, infant development consultants, supported child development consultants and more – face job loss.

As the union representing these workers, HSA is extremely concerned about their future and the future of the children who depend on their skills. While HSA is supportive of the provincial government’s goals for improving delivery of service for children and youth with special needs, the union has expressed concerns about process for determining service providers.

HSA is currently addressing the situation directly with government to advocate for our members and the community they serve.”

The Health Sciences Association of BC is the union representing more than 1000 community social services workers employed at twenty different agencies across the province, including transition houses, child development centres, family services agencies, mental health facilities, young offenders programs, and alcohol and drug programs.