Inspired by her son Anthony, Deborah Barrett was a tireless advocate for autistic adults and other intellectual and developmental disabilities. She was particularly passionate about building avenues for meaningful employment and involvement in the community for individuals with disabilities who have aged out of the school system.
Deborah was deeply committed to public service. In addition to liaising with the provincial government for better services for the disability community through Act Now for Autism, Deborah was a board member and later president of the Autism Society of Edmonton Area, a board member and president of Autism Society Alberta, and editor of Autism Now and Autism Around Alberta.
In honour of her passion and drive to ensure individuals on the autism spectrum can look forward to lives full of opportunity, we are pleased to launch the ‘Dr. Deborah Barrett Who Will Take Care of Our Kids Fund’.
Every year, the ‘Dr. Deborah Barrett Who Will Take Care of Our Kids Fund’ will support projects that ensure people with autism have lives full of opportunity.
Planning for the Future
The 2023 inaugural project for the Who Will Take Care of Our Kids Fund was effectively accomplished by creating a four-part series of videos based on the important topic of Planning for the Future. Our highly knowledgeable presenter was Trista D. Carey of Schnell, Hardy, Jones LLP Lawyers. The four presentations recorded covered these distinct areas: guardianship, trusteeship, enduring power of attorney & personal directives, and wills. You can view them at the links below.
Transitioning to 60+
The 2024 initiative of the Who Will Take Care of Our Kids Fund was realized in the creation of a much-needed guide. Our Transitioning to 60+ toolkit is meant to help Autistic adults navigate the transition to a new phase of life at 60+ years of age. You’ll find information about federal and provincial financial benefits, resources, challenges and strategies, links to articles, and more! Take a look, and feel free to share it with others who may benefit from this knowledge.
Adult Siblings Toolkit
The 2025 initiative of the Who Will Take Care of Our Kids Fund is proud to present the Adult Siblings Toolkit. This toolkit provides guidance, practical ideas, and resources for adults who have an Autistic sibling with varying support needs. As well, it is intended to support extended family members and parents who are planning for the transition of care responsibilities. Inside, you’ll find information on building connections, planning for the future, decision-making supports like guardianship and trusteeship, and navigating financial, funding, and tax programs. There are also mental health resources for the supporting siblings.
Created as a companion to the Adult Siblings Toolkit, the Care Continuity Guide is a tool for parents and caregivers of adults with disabilities to gather essential information in one place. The hope is that this tool will ensure thoughtful continuity in the quality and dignity of care of loved ones.
