Latest News for Parents & Carers

The chairman of a talking newspaper for the visually impaired has said more volunteers are needed to secure the future of the service, which a listener has described as irreplaceable. The Stafford & Stone audio publication sends memory sticks of local news to more than 100 subscribers, free of charge.

England’s special education system is failing, causing thousands of children to have their development put back by months or even years, according to a damning report by the local government ombudsman. Amerdeep Somal, the local government and social care ombudsman, said her caseload was now dominated by complaints from families involving special educational needs (Sen) provision and schools, with more than 90% of complaints being upheld.

A director from Derbyshire has become the first wheelchair user to direct EastEnders since its inception in 1985. Owen Tooth, 44, from Duffield, directed the popular BBC One soap episode which aired on 14 October to more than 3.5 million viewers.

The earnings limit – the maximum amount a carer can earn a week while getting Carer’s Allowance – will raise by an unprecedented £45 to £196 per week (16 hours at the National Minimum Wage) from April 2025. The earnings limit will also be linked to future increases in the National Minimum Wage.

One of parliament’s new disabled MPs has suggested that the government should consider criminalising disability discrimination, because of the difficulty disabled people face in enforcing the Equality Act. As a guide dog-user, with a wife who also has a guide dog, Liberal Democrat Steve Darling has experienced repeated discrimination when trying to access services such as hotels, restaurants and taxis, including when trying to hire a taxi in Brighton on the way to the conference.