Underneath these terrible events lies the fact that they are completely preventable; access to services and support for families and people with developmental disabilities are woefully inadequate. Repeated calls for help over time by Ms. Robinson and her family went unheard, or were not acted upon in time.
“Families are in the position of fighting for supports year after year, with many receiving too little and some never getting what they need. Parents become exhausted and hopeless. Clearly for some families like the Robinsons it is life and death”, states Faith Bodnar, Inclusion BC Executive Director.
Inclusion BC continually brings to the attention of government that endless waitlists and lack of access to what are life sustaining supports must be a priority. Yet too often we hear stories of families who get little or nothing at all, leaving them alone or isolated. Early information indicates a repeated and catastrophic systemic failure contributed to these horrific events.
Inclusion BC has connected with the family, expressing our deepest condolences and our commitment to ensuring that a full and thorough inquiry is completed. This tragedy is a wake-up call; let it ensure that other families are not failed in the same way by the systems that are mandated to support and respond to them.
Inclusion BC will ensure that the full story of the deaths of Angie and her son Robert is told, and that action is taken so that this needless and preventable tragedy is not repeated. The family requests that further inquiries be made directly to Faith Bodnar, Inclusion BC Executive Director.
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Inclusion BC website: www.inclusionbc.org
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