Disabled Children’s Social Care
All children should have access to high quality social care support to ensure they have the best start in life.
All children should have access to high quality social care support to ensure they have the best start in life.
Social care plays an important role for many children and young people with complex disabilities. This support ensures families can safely care for their children at home, as well as helping many children to access their education or school.
For children with complex needs, social care can be anything from support getting dressed and ready for school, access to important equipment like hoists, or recreational equipment and technology, holidays, and short breaks and respite services.
The Disabled Children’s Partnership (DCP) currently estimate there is a £434 million annual funding gap in children’s social care services. Many of the families we support experience problems accessing support they need to safely care for their child. We campaign on a range of issues to ensure that children and families have the right support and best start in life.
As part of the Disabled Children’s Partnership, we led the #GiveItBack campaign in 2019, calling on the Chancellor to plug the funding gap in disabled children’s social care services. The letter received over 21,000 signatures and was presented to Number 11 Downing Street 9. We have continued to campaign with the DCP during the Covid-19 crisis, highlighting the impact of the pandemic on disabled children and their families through the #LeftInLockdown campaign.
Last November, our Chief Executive, Richard Kramer, gave evidence to the Public Accounts Committee, sharing experiences of our families and recommendations for how government support can be improved. Read about his experience.
In 2019 we also submitted written evidence to the Education Select Committee and the Public Accounts Committee, helping to secure an independent review into children’s social care.
Together, we campaign for the rights of people with complex disabilities to take part in life.
Children and young people with complex disabilities should have access to a full education, with the right support around them so they have the best start in life.