COVID-19 pandemic has cut off supports for children with autism and their caregivers, leaving them feeling abandoned by the British Columbia government, advocates and researchers say.The neglect of neurodiverse kids with special needs has been “so overwhelming that something fairly radical has to be done by this new government if families are going to rebuild any trust,” said Deborah Pugh, the executive director of ACT – Autism Community Training.Pugh said she was “stonewalled” by provincial officials in the New Democrats’ last minority government and she’s calling on Premier John Horgan to help now that he has a newly elected majority.