Latest News for Parents & Carers

Parents of children with additional needs in England endure endless bureaucracy, but help is out there – and it is worth the fight.

A 14-year-old para-swimmer from Somerset said she wants to be a role model for younger people hoping to get into the sport. Sophie York from Paulton has just returned home after competing in the Dwarf Sports Association National Games.

Many of us would love to play our favourite book character in a film or on TV – but Emily Carey has managed to live the dream. The 21-year-old is the star of teen drama Geek Girl, an adaptation of the book series of which she was a “huge fan” growing up.

When Sacha Bowman was a child she was conscious of the fact that she stood out. “It was a bit of a difficult experience, being mixed race and having a disability,” says the 23-year-old who was raised in a predominantly white area of Lancaster. “I had basically no one to look up to. It was very hard.”

NHS England has been accused of “dragging its feet” on bringing in new accessibility procedures, leading to disabled people routinely struggling to access healthcare and facing cancelled appointments.