In British Columbia there are many services in place to help children receive the support they need. Some learners are eligible for tax-deductible tutoring. Others can access funding for tutoring and other services via government programs like the Autism Funding Unit (AFU) and Jordan’s Principle. We’ve also worked with ICBC, WorkSafe BC, and Distributed Learning schools (DLs), which are sometimes also referred to as homeschooling and online schools.
Let’s start with the ones we are most familiar with at Tutoring…With A Twist* so we can help you with their funding process:
Autism Funding Unit (AFU)
The Autism Funding Unit (AFU) helps children with autism receive funding for tutoring and other services. Your child has to have an autism designation to be eligible.
A child receives $6,000 each year as funding for tutoring. This $6,000 starts the first day of the month following your child’s birthday and ends the last day of your child’s birth month. (For example, if your child’s birthday is June 15 and it’s the year 2023, their new $6,000 allotment will start as of July 1, 2023. Any funds from the year of 2022 will have to be used by June 2023.)
There is a Request to Pay form (RFP) that has to be filled out for each service provider to have a portion of the $6,000 allotted to them. It’s important for the parent to know the hourly rate, how many hours are needed, and the time frame in which those hours will be used as that is what this form asks for! (We can provide that information and help plan what’s best for your child.)
Service providers must first be registered with the AFU in order to have funds allotted to them. (We are registered with them!)
Once registered, the service provider must help you fill this out the RFP form as there is information specific to the service provider that must match the AFU’s registration records for the funding process to go smoothly.
Service providers (like us!) must be willing and able to wait for funds to come in two to six months after services have been completed.
AFU has an online option to submit and be able to check the progress of RFP.
Jordan’s Principle
Jordan’s Principle helps First Nations children receive products and services they need to succeed, including funding for tutoring.
It is helpful for this funder to receive a letter from the service provider (tutoring agency) outlining the need for the services that the provider provides. As part of our process at Tutoring…With A Twist*, we have a Parent and a Learner Questionnaire that need to be filled out. From these Questionnaires, we are able to write such a letter.
Next, Jordan’s Principle likes to receive a detailed quote including the hourly rate, how many hours are needed, and the time frame in which those hours will be used. (We provide that information on our letterhead to send to them.)
The beginning and ending term for Jordan’s Principle’s funding for tutoring correlates with the information provided in the letter and outlined in the quote. Both of these are mentioned above. Here is an example of a how a term might be determined:
We might suggest that Johnny needs tutoring for the entire length of the school year if they are an elementary student. We might suggest a semester if they’re a high school student coming for a specific subject that they only have for one semester. We may suggest the summer and into the school year if we are helping either a high school or elementary student catch up.
A service provider (like us!) needs to be prepared to wait upwards of six months for payment.
Distributed Learning Schools (Homeschool, Online School)
A Distributed Learning School (DL) will give a budget in September for the school year. This may be referred to as a Learner Resource Support (LRS) Fund.
The DLs will need to know what service providers you are wanting to use and what their rates are, as well as how much of the total budget you’d like provided to them.
If a DL has a maximum hourly rate for tutoring that does not match ours, we can still make this work!
We have families that have asked for more funding as the year has gone on and have had success.
Some DLs will provide funding for tutoring for the summer months as well. You must ask your school about this, above and beyond the school year funding.
Money-Saving Options
The following aren’t funders, but they are ways to save money if a member of your family has a disability. Talk to your accountant about these:
- Disability Tax Credit (DTC) – The Disability Tax Credit helps people with impairments pay less income tax.
- Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) – An RDSP helps parents save for the long-term financial security of people who qualify for the disability tax credit.
Other Sources of Funding for Tutoring
Below is a list of other funding sources and how to access them. We aren’t as familiar with these programs so we ask that you follow the links provided and have a thorough read through to see if your family would qualify.
- At Home Program (AHP) – The At Home Program (AHP) supports children with severe disabilities or complex health care needs. Get help from a physician or nurse practitioner to fill out the application form.
- Bear Essentials – Bear Essentials is a program for children living on Vancouver Island. They help with the cost of health-related transportation and equipment for kids in need. Ask your health care professional to fill out the application form on your child’s behalf.
- Child Development Centre – Most communities offer some form of this service (Nanaimo, Comox Valley, etc.) which helps with funding for in-home support.
- CKNW Kids’ Fund – CKNW Kids’ Fund offers grants for children in need. Apply on their website.
- Community Living British Columbia (CLBC) Funding – CLBC can fund support services once you reach the age of 18. This is a service a social worker would help you access.
- Extended Benefits – Some employers offer benefits programs that include coverage for physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists whom we can work with as a team. They also may provide respite coverage. Depending on the wording of this benefit, tutoring may fit under the category of respite coverage.
- Métis Family Connections Program – The Métis Family Connections Program helps Métis children access community networks and receive support at each stage of development. Métis children are also eligible for the Métis Child Care Benefit. There are two programs: Early Years (birth to 8 years old) and Middle Years (9 to 12 years old).
- Variety Children’s Charity – Variety Children’s Charity offers a selection of grants and other support services. You can apply on their website.
If you have any questions about funding for tutoring or anything else in general, please feel free to contact us. We’re always here for you!
*Services provided by With a Twist Education Ltd.