Latest News for Parents & Carers

Babies across England will be tested for a rare but serious genetic condition from birth, giving them the best chance of successful treatment before symptoms appear.

A mum has launched a campaign to stop the “quiet discrimination” she says she has witnessed looking after her disabled daughter. Zoe Mason, from Kendal, is asking for disabled people to come forward and share their experiences of what life is like in Cumbria.

Psychologist Candice Odgers has studied adolescent mental health for 25 years. She fears the current debate around smartphones obscures some of the biggest issues facing teenagers – from the impact of Covid to the health of their adult caregivers.

A mum has said finding childcare for her son, who has additional needs, in the summer holidays causes “financial and emotional anxiety”. The charity Sense said there was a shortage of accessible holiday clubs in England.

Contact’s calls to reform a distressing application process for Personal Independent Payment (PIP) are recognised in a new report. The Timms review into PIP’s steering group has published its interim report, which ultimately finds that the disability benefit is “highly-valued” but “no longer fit-for-purpose”.