Disabled parents need more support

Disabled parents often encounter problems trying to access
mainstream services because of a lack of joined-up working between
children and adult social services, according to the National
Family and Parenting Institute.

The institute’s head of research, Clem Henricson, said many
disabled parents faced barriers from feeding their baby to
attending school parents’ evenings.

“Adequate and appropriate packages of support are needed and,
although many local authorities are beginning to recognise the
parenting responsibilities of disabled parents, there is still much
to be done,” said Henricson.

She added that the barriers, which included the absence of
parenting responsibilities in community care assessment and
eligibility criteria, could be tackled by flexible and imaginative
thinking on the part of planners and front-line staff.

Henricson wants disabled parents to tell the institute what kind of
support they need.

– Go to www.e-parents.org