Holiday let-down for disabled children

The lack of summer holiday activities for disabled children is
being exacerbated by the “pot-luck” provision of local
authority-funded holiday schemes, says a Barnardo’s report
published this week.

Author Neera Shahna said that long-term government funding was
needed so that local authorities could provide, and be held
accountable for, their leisure and play facilities.

With a holiday scheme costing more than three times as much for a
child needing one-to-one support, parents of disabled children have
to meet the shortfall or cope with as little as two-days’ funded
provision.

Disabled children are often excluded from mainstream provision –
such as local leisure facilities – because of inaccessibility and
health and safety fears.

Shahna said: “When term-time support services [for the disabled
child] end, the summer is a time of great pressure for the whole
family.” 

– Postcards from Home: the Experience of Disabled Children in
the School Holidays is available from:
www.barnardos.org.uk/newsandevents/media/postcards.jsp