Latest News for Parents & Carers

New data reported in the British Journal of Psychiatry shows that 7% of children have attempted suicide by the age of 17 and almost one in four say they have self-harmed in the past year. There are fears that these figures have risen even higher during the pandemic. The figures are taken from analysis of the lives of around 19,000 British children born at the start of the millennium as part of the millennium cohort study.

Offering both a physical event and a unique digital programme, Naidex Virtual features hundreds of expert speakers across the disability, independent living and healthcare industries, links to a vast network of like-minded individuals and numerous experiential, interactive demonstrations.

It’s Neurodiversity Celebration Week starting Monday 15 March. According to the Department of Education, 15% of students in the United Kingdom have a learning difference. Find out how to get involved.

A new mum who is deaf blind and has barely left her home with her baby during lockdown wants more support for disabled people’s mental health. Bethany Fanthom, 27, gave birth to Freddie on 11 March 2020. She says Covid restrictions have cut off most of her support and leave her feeling isolated as she adapts to motherhood.

Lockdown has seen a “disturbing” rise in the number of blind people experiencing distressing hallucinations, the RNIB charity says. The condition, known as Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS), causes patients to have vivid hallucinations. False images are triggered when the brain tries to fill in the gaps caused by sight loss. The RNIB said calls to its helpline had increased by almost 50% and patients had reported more sinister visions.CBS is thought to affect up to 30% of those with sight loss, although it can sometimes be confused with mental health concerns.