Boy, nine, writes to PM to call for more support for disabled children and families

A nine-year-old boy wrote to the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak telling him his parents felt “failed and forgotten” while he pleaded for better support for disabled children and their families.

Autistic Nate Courtney has told the National Leader he feels “sad” his parents have to “fight everything” for him and his disabled sister.

The letter comes in the wake of a survey which found that only one in five parents of disabled children believe their family is getting the support they need to help their child reach their full potential.

The findings, based on 2,200 responses from custodial parents, showed that only one in seven said their disabled child had an adequate level of social care, a fifth in health services and a third in education.

The Disabled Children’s Partnership (DCP), which carried out the survey between October and November last year, said parents are having to fill the gaps left by “underfunding formal provision” and families are facing “relentless” stress .

The organization – a coalition of more than 100 organizations advocating for improved health and social care for disabled children, youth and their families – has previously reported that parents of disabled children have been forced to give up work or lose their careers altogether.

He has also already warned that the Government’s plan, announced last week, to ensure children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) can get the help they need sooner is “out of step” with the urgent reforms needed to tackle ” crisis”. in support of children and their families.

Nat, from the south-west Londonwrote to the Prime Minister to tell him about his own family’s struggle to support him as his parents care for him and his sister, who is also autistic and has a muscle disorder that means she needs a wheelchair.

He wrote: “I’m sad. My mom and dad are tired because they always have to fight for me and my sister.”

Nate said his parents are “always in a lot of meetings, talking on the phone and writing letters on the computer,” adding, “They have to fight for everything, even a wheelchair for my sister.”

Pleading for help, the child added: “My parents feel failed and forgotten. Let our parents just be our parents so we can enjoy ourselves.”

In his report released on Tuesday, the DCP said: “Once again, as we have reported during the pandemic, it is children with disabilities and their families who will be disproportionately affected by the current social climate.

“Disabled children are not immune to record waiting times, backlogs and workforce challenges in health and social care.

“NHS data show that the proportion of children with disabilities waiting for treatment is equivalent to that of adults, and children with disabilities waiting for equipment such as wheelchairs are likely to wait longer than adults.’

The organization said at least a quarter of parents said their disabled child did not meet the threshold for a social care assessment, and those who do receive an assessment “continue to face delays in receiving the support they have been assessed for. are in need”.

Stephen Kingdom, campaign manager for the Disabled Children’s Partnership, said: “Nate’s story brings to life the shocking statistics in our Failed and Forgotten report. Both show parents filling the gaps left by underfunding formal provision. The tension in families is relentless.

“We welcome some elements of the Department for Education’s improvement plan, but it does not go far enough to ensure that children receive the support they are legally entitled to.”