About Us

We believe that disabled children, young people and their families have a right to access the services and support they need to live a good quality of life and have the same opportunities as any other family. 

We are not asking for disabled children to be singled out or treated differently. We are asking for fairness and equality. 

But in England today, this simply isn’t happening. Disabled children face four big challenges. 

  • There are not enough services 
  • Many of those that exist are not good enough 
  • Families cannot access them easily 
  • Services do not always work together and communicate well with each other 

This leads to an unacceptable contrast between the quality of life and the opportunities available to disabled children and their families, compared to those without disabilities. This is an injustice and must change. 

Simple tasks such as visiting a park, going to school or doing the weekly shop are often extremely challenging and, in some cases, impossible for families with disabled children. 

But this does not need to be the case.

 

Secret Life of Us

69% of families...

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...with disabled children never receive any support

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10% of parents...

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...of a disabled child believe that social care services in their area are fit for purpose

Secret Life of Us

90% of parents...

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...say they have to fight to get the services their disabled child needs

“The gap in health and social care services in England today means that families face enormous difficulties in accessing even the most basic support. There simply isn’t awareness of the challenges faced by disabled children, young people and their families.”

The Disabled Children’s Partnership exists to: provide a platform for the voices of disabled children and family members; challenge the inequalities and barriers in the provision of disabled children’s health and social care services; improve the quality of services available; make sure families can access those services; and ensure professionals communicate with each other and work together.

But, we can’t achieve this when nearly half of the British public (43%) don’t know anyone who is disabled so are simply unaware of the challenges they face.

The truth is we need public support, understanding and empathy to affect change and make a lasting difference to the way disabled children are treated in society.

In order to achieve the change we need, we will bring the realities of the lives of disabled children, young people and their families closer to people across England.

Help us fight to make this change.

Help us create a country where disabled children and young people have the right support and access to the same opportunities that most of us take for granted.

The work of the Disabled Children’s Partnership is possible due to the generous support of Pears Foundation.

If you need advice on any aspect of caring for disabled children please call the Contact freephone helpline on 0808 808 3555 or visit: www.contact.org.uk

The campaign is led by