Latest News for Parents & Carers

Disabled people in the UK face worsening discrimination and a growing risk of poverty as a result of government failures to tackle problems ranging from welfare benefits to employment, according to a human rights watchdog. 

Jen Lowthrop, of Matlock, is aiming to cover more than 1,000 miles (1,609km), which she aims to complete in 10 weeks. “I struggled with mental health in the past and walking and reading are my two things that keep me going, and I just want more people to experience that.”

A carer looking after a woman with Down’s syndrome for 30 years says they have been together so long they are like sisters. Maggie Phillips welcomed Janet Brown into her Shrewsbury home as part of Shropshire’s Shared Lives scheme.

Nearly a million young people have yet to claim their Child Trust Funds, MPs have warned. However, children who lack capacity are particularly affected, with an estimated 80,000 having to rely on their families to go through a lengthy, often costly court process to access their savings. Harry is one of those 80,000. His mum, Ramandeep Kaur, has saved more than £7,000 in his savings account – assuming he would be able to access it like his older brother.

Deaf scientists and sign language experts have updated British Sign Language (BSL) to include climate change-related terms like “greenhouse gas” and “carbon footprint”. There were no official signs for these, meaning children, teachers and scientists would often have to finger-spell long, complex, scientific terms. The change added 200 new terms to BSL.