Failed & Forgotten

Disabled children and their families are currently facing the most challenging times yet. Post-covid recovery has left disabled children facing “record breaking” delays and backlogs to health and socialcare services.

New research by the Disabled Children’s Partnership has revealed the worrying state of affairs for disabled children and their families in England. More than 2000 families were surveyed for the research, and their responses were eye-opening.

The research found:

50% of parents of disabled children are unable to work and have experienced poverty, because of lack of support for their child.

3 in 4 parents have had to give up employment or their whole careers, due to lack of support.

7 out of 10 parents said their disabled children’s health had deteriorated because of lack of support.

Only 1 in 3 disabled children has the correct level of support from education setting.

Only 1 in 7 families had the correct level of support from social care.

Only 1 in 5 has the correct level of support from health services.

Only 1 in 5 felt their family received the support needed for their child to fulfil their potential.

Over a third (38%) of parents have experienced marriage/relationship breakdown in the last 12 months as a result of lack of support for their disabled child.

Poverty is a contributing factor, with half of parents of disabled children unable to work due to a lack of support for their children. And more than a third of parents have experienced a marriage or relationship breakdown in the past 12 months, the survey found.

Amanda Batten, chair of the DCP, which represents 110 children’s and disability charities, said: “We now know that disabled children’s support services are so threadbare that three quarters of parents have had to give up careers they love to fill the gaps. This is contributing not only to increased poverty but also to a shrinking workforce and must serve as a wake-up call to government and local authorities.

“Our research also shows the impact on disabled children of hollowed out services. Delays in treatment, equipment, mental health support and therapies are not only ruining the life chances of disabled children, they are also putting them at risk of harm. There have been many warning signs in recent years, but this is an enormous red flag alert.

“We hope the government’s expected plan reflects this urgency. We need prioritisation of disabled children’s services across all government departments and in the coming budget.”

The government’s SEND green paper Right Support, Right Place, Right Time highlights that the current system results in poor outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs.

The DCP says the government must ensure the needs of disabled children and their families are prioritised across all parts of the public sector and that SEND reforms “do not make it harder” for parents to get the support their children need.

It is also calling on the Department for Health and Social Care and NHS (England) to ensure that all integrated care systems have clear plans for eliminating the backlogs in assessments and therapies or treatments for disabled children. And it wants the government to support families during the cost-of-living crisis by providing an energy assistance payment for families with seriously ill and disabled children, to cover the cost of running lifesaving medical and disability equipment.

The full Failed And Forgotten report will be launched by the Disabled Children’s Partnership in Parliament