Latest News for Parents & Carers

A deaf teenager has won a legal fight against Fife Council to have a British Sign Language interpreter in her class for school lessons. Niamdh Braid, 16, from Glenrothes, launched an action against her local authority last year after missing out on essential learning.

To better support learners with SEND, Twinkl has added the newly updated Symbols app to its existing Twinkl Symbols platform – a range of complementing tools and resources designed to give users an alternative way to communicate through visuals, in everyday situations.

MPs pushing for the legalisation of assisted suicide have been warned by a disabled academic that protections in the proposed bill that are aimed at preventing disabled people being “coerced” into ending their own lives are “incredibly weak”. The Commons committee examining the terminally ill adults (end of life) bill – which has a strong majority in favour of legalisation – was taking evidence from Dr Miro Griffiths, one of the few disabled experts asked to give oral evidence.

A new report by the Motability Foundation and research company Savanta describes the specific challenges faced by young disabled people when using transport. The report shows that disabled young people face significant barriers when using transport. They find it unreliable, stressful and too expensive, and it presents a real barrier to their independence and social life.

Labour’s disability minister has said for the first time that he is drawing up a list of priorities for action to address the barriers faced by disabled people. It is believed to be the first time that Sir Stephen Timms has spoken publicly of any plans to replace the last government’s much-criticised and deeply-flawed disability strategy and disability action plan.