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Isaac Gwynne is 14 and has never spoken a word. He is severely autistic, needs round-the-clock care and usually flaps to greet his friends at his special school. All of his classmates are non-verbal too.

In 2022, statistics were published by The British Association of Supported Employment (BASE) showing that only 5.1% of people with learning disabilities known to social services are in any form of paid work, but it is known that 65% of people with learning disabilities want to work.

A therapy dog helping children feel calmer in the classroom has been hailed as a “secret weapon” by a head teacher. Darcy, a two-year-old sprocker spaniel, has been working full time at Abbotts Hall Primary School in Stowmarket for the past 12 months. Teachers have found the dog helpful in making children feel more happy and safe when coming to school. Headteacher Rachel Bailey said: “Children, staff, parents, the whole community, love having her here.”

A press watchdog has received hundreds of complaints about a “toxic” article by the Daily Telegraph which asked its readers to calculate how much disabled people on out-of-work benefits were contributing to the country’s “tax burden”.

The parents of a girl from Birtley, Gateshead, have told ITV News Tyne Tees they want her story to inspire others into disabled gymnastics. Paige Harvey, 13, took up the sport just five years ago but has already won a number of medals both regionally and nationally. She has Downs Syndrome, heart disease and requires oxygen at night to breathe.