Latest News for Parents & Carers

It wasn’t smooth sailing for siblings of children with disabilities before the pandemic and things are even more difficult now. For the estimated half a million children and young people in the UK supporting a brother or sister with a disability, their needs often go unmet, and the past couple of years have deepened this impact.

A new service has been launched to allow people to make 999 calls using British Sign Language (BSL) for the first time. The new service, 999 BSL, will allow deaf people to make emergency calls using an app or website, connecting callers with a BSL interpreter. It is free to use and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Department of Education wants your views on the deadline for a local authority to issue proposals to amend an education, health and care plan following a review. Take the survey by the closing date of Friday 12 August.

On Thursday 28 July, to mark the tenth anniversary of Disability Rights UK and to celebrate the collective power of the disability movement, they are holding an online campaigning conference offering a range of masterclasses and workshops to support joint efforts to campaign for equality and inclusion. Masterclasses will include sessions on using the law, improving communication messaging and social media skills. Workshop topics will include social care charging, the cost of living crisis, employment and Disability Hate Crime. The conference is a chance to share experiences, learn new skills, build on successful campaigning methods and develop campaign plans and networks.

This time next week sees the opening of Naidex, a two day event aimed at anyone who is living with a disability, as well as anyone caring for or supplying to this community. It showcases wide-ranging solutions to improve mobility and accessibility, the latest innovations and tech, and explores the future of digital and physical accessibility. Most of all, Naidex is a great day out with lots of fun activities to entertain you throughout your visit! Naidex is looking forward to welcoming you to the NEC Birmingham on the 6th-7th July and tickets are free!