Homeschooling a child with special needs in Canada

Children with special needs can be homeschooled in every province and territory under the same rules as other children — the notice, registration, plan or reports that apply where you live. We didn't find a separate approval process for homeschooling a child with a disability in any of the provincial rules we checked.

What changes is your planning. A child with additional needs may need a plan that starts from their current skills rather than their grade, more breaks, therapy appointments built into the week, and different ways of showing what they've learned.

Leaving school usually means leaving school-based supports such as an educational assistant, an individual education plan (IEP) and in-class accommodations. But some services can remain available, and it's worth asking:

• Québec: the government's homeschooling page says your school service centre or school board gives homeschooled children access to a range of services, and lists complementary services such as special education services and speech therapy free of charge.
• British Columbia: the school you register with must offer evaluation and assessment services to homeschooled children, which you may accept or decline.
• Alberta: in a supervised home education program, your supervising school authority receives part of the funding to support the student, and many supervising boards offer access to assessment and specialist advice. Ask what's included before you choose a board.
• Other provinces: ask your school board or division's student services team which assessments, therapies or consultations are open to homeschooled children. Answers vary from board to board.

Get any offer in writing, and keep copies of past assessments and IEPs — they are valuable if your child returns to school or needs accommodations later.

If your province asks for a plan — such as Saskatchewan's written education plan, Manitoba's program outline or Québec's learning project — you can usually describe goals and methods that suit your child. Where no plan is required, writing one is still useful.

• Start from where your child is. Note current skills in reading, writing and math, regardless of grade level.
• Set a few concrete goals. "Read a short chapter book independently" is easier to work toward than "improve reading."
• List accommodations. Shorter lessons, movement breaks, audiobooks, speech-to-text, a calculator, visual schedules — whatever helps your child access learning.
• Include therapy and life skills. Occupational therapy, speech practice, social skills and daily living skills are learning too.
• Plan how you'll see progress. Dated work samples, short videos and checklists show growth that tests may miss.

Some federal support is tied to your child's disability, not to their school, so it continues when you homeschool.

• Disability tax credit (DTC): a child may qualify when a medical practitioner certifies on Form T2201 that they have a severe and prolonged impairment in physical or mental functions and the Canada Revenue Agency approves the form.
• Child disability benefit (CDB): a tax-free monthly payment for families who receive the Canada child benefit and care for a child under 18 who qualifies for the DTC. If you already get the Canada child benefit for an eligible child, the CDB is added automatically.
• Medical expenses: the CRA's medical expense guide lists eligible expenses. The Income Tax Act includes tutoring for a person with a learning disability or mental impairment, certified by a medical practitioner, where it supplements their primary education. Ask the CRA or a tax professional how this applies to a homeschooled child.

Provinces and territories also run their own disability, autism and family support programs. These are usually separate from education, so ask your provincial health or social services department.

If you suspect a learning disability, ADHD, autism or another need, an assessment can help you understand your child and plan well. Routes include:

• Through your family doctor or pediatrician, who can refer to public services or specialists.
• Through your school board or registering school, where assessment services are offered to homeschooled children (as in British Columbia).
• Privately, through a registered psychologist or other specialist. Private assessments can be expensive, so ask about wait times, costs and whether any workplace health plan covers part of the fee.

Homeschooling a child with additional needs is demanding, and parent burnout is real. Build in breaks, share the load where you can, and connect with other parents who understand.

Respite programs, family support workers and parent groups exist in many communities — ask your provincial disability services office or your child's health care team. Online and local support groups for specific conditions can also be a lifeline.

These national organizations offer information for families (they aren't homeschooling organizations, but much of their material applies at home):

• Learning Disabilities Association of Canada (LDAC): a national charity working through provincial and territorial learning disabilities associations, with information from early identification onward.
• Centre for ADHD Awareness, Canada (CADDAC): a national charity focused on ADHD, with resources and events for families.

Provincial homeschool associations often have support groups or contacts for families of children with additional needs too.