For families looking for support or anyone wanting to better understand disability in Canada
These podcasts offer a mix of real stories, useful tips, and conversations about parenting, disability and accessibility in British Columbia and across Canada. If you’re looking for more tools to support your child or ways to feel connected with others who get what it’s like raising a child with a disability, try the first five recommendations. If you’d like more context about Canadian disability news and policies, check out the podcasts listed under the second heading.
Please note that not all of these podcasts are still publishing new episodes, but all were available on major podcast networks at the time of publishing this article. Happy listening!
Parenting and kids with disabilities
Podcast host (and Variety mom) Mary Cardle shares stories of triumph and resilience from families with children with Down syndrome, offers parenting advice, and explores the latest research and resources for families with a loved one with Down syndrome. These conversations offer support and inspiration for life with a child with Down syndrome.
The inclusive Dad Podcast: Exploring Inclusion and Making It Practical
Hosted by Aaron DeVries, whose daughter Cecilia has epilepsy and cerebral palsy, the podcast explores parenting, education, mental health, and inclusion through interviews with a wide range of guests, including educators, therapists, parents and more. It’s not a Canadian podcast, but there’s still lots of relevant content.
Hear from psychologist Heidi Kiefer and psychometrists Shawn Brumby and Maureen Mosleh as they engage with professionals, families and children, giving insights and practical tips for families before and after an autism diagnosis.
Marjorie Aunos: Parenting With a Disability
If you’re a parent with disabilities yourself, check out Marjorie Aunos’s YouTube channel. She is a clinical psychologist, author, and researcher from Montreal who has dedicated her career to working with parents with intellectual disabilities and then also became a parent with disabilities herself. She’s got lots of resources on her channel, as well as a full podcast series on how professionals can best support parents with disabilities.
Disability issues and news in B.C. and across Canada
Over eight million Canadians are caregivers. These experiences are at the heart of Who Cares, an eight-part podcast series hosted by sibling caregiver Melissa Ngo. The series shines a spotlight on the unseen realities of caregivers and care providers across Canada. It reveals how caregiving acts as the linchpin of Canadian society, holding together our healthcare systems and economy, while also offering policy solutions to address them.
Transition Magazine: Now available as a podcast!
If you know and love Disability Alliance BC’s Transition magazine, which provides a cross-disability voice on a wide range of issues, then you’ll be excited to know they’ve recently launched a podcast version of their magazine.
Produced by Accessible Media Inc., The Pulse offers weekly in-depth discussions on issues impacting the disability community across Canada. Topics include accessible technology, disability and parenting, community living, education, and more.
Disability with Possibility Podcast
Each episode delves into the unique experiences and challenges faced by Canadians with disabilities, highlighting their strengths, creativity, and determination. Whether you’re looking for motivation, education, or just a good laugh, this podcast has it all.
