2026 Inclusion Alberta Family Conference

Families and individuals with intellectual disabilities face growing barriers—longer waits for FSCD and PDD, increasing system bureaucracy and complexity, threats to inclusive education, and changes to AISH that reduce support for one group and apply a degrading label to the rest. These challenges echo past struggles, when families refused to accept exclusion and fought for the rights we now cherish. They fought for inclusive classrooms and community-based supports by seeing what was possible and refusing to settle for anything less.  

Now, history calls us again. How will we respond? Join us to hear powerful stories from family advocates and allies who are meeting this moment with creativity, persistence, and hope. Learn practical ways to take action and stand together to protect and advance inclusion. 

This annual session will explore the advocacy issues and trends currently impacting individuals and families, discuss needed responses, and provide practical ways to take immediate action, the need for which has never been more clear. 
  
In just a few years, many of Alberta’s supports and services to children and adults with intellectual disabilities have been eroded and families and persons with disabilities find themselves under constant attack with the public seemingly unaware or unconcerned. The usual advocacy strategies which served us well in the past are no longer effective and hope and resiliency are at increasing risk without new forms of collective and individual action. Times have changed and consequently our actions have to change.  
  
During this session we will explore and act on some possible advocacy strategies required today and the actions all of us must take to combat the systemic assault on children and adults with intellectual disabilities and their families.