About the Special Needs Project
The Special Needs project provides support to members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers and the Union of Postal Communications Employees (Public Service Alliance of Canada) who have children with special needs. Its aim is to help reduce the emotional, financial and physical stresses on working parents of children with disabilities.
Parents who are part of the project receive:
- Support from Special Needs Advisors familiar with provincial and community resources and services for children with special needs.
- Financial support for expenses directly related to their child's disability. The funding can be used for such things as respite, child care, transportation and uninsured health expenses.
- Information and resources, including a newsletter, Member-to-Member Connection. The newsletter contains resource listings, articles, parent letters and offers and requests for specific help.
- Opportunities to connect with other parents through Member-to-MemberConnection and the web site.
- Support from the project office through a toll-free number.
The project also advocates for funding and policies to support high quality child care that is inclusive of children with disabilities.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers created the Special Needs Project in 1996, acting on recommendations in a union-sponsored study on the workplace barriers for families who have children with disabilities. The project is funded through the union's Child Care Fund, which was negotiated with Canada Post. The project became available to UPCE-PSAC members after their union negotiated a Child Care Fund in 2000.