Cerebral palsy - parents of disabled children face poverty
According to an article published in July’s edition of ‘Disability Now’ magazine, parents of disabled children, includign those with cerebral palsy are 50% more likely than parents of children who are not disabled, to be in debt.
The report, “It doesn’t happen here” commissioned by Barnardos, found that families of disabled children were less likely to be able to afford holidays, new clothes, school trips or even ‘treats’ for their children. It also found that parents in families affected by disability were less likely to be in a position to work, and if they did, were more likely to be on low incomes.
Benefits increases, it is argued, do not reflect the additional costs of raising a disabled child, estimated at three times the cost of bringing up a non-disabled child.
The report provides several recommendations, including the provision of:
• An adequate minimum income that recognises the real costs for families with disabled children.
• Additional childcare and assistance with costs.
• Better family support services, including respite care and short breaks.
Steve Broach, campaign manager for ‘Every disabled child matters’ said in ‘Disability Now’ magazine:
“We agree that the challenge is to help families into work but to also address the additional costs of disability. Like Barnardo’s, we think there needs to be specific action targeted at disabled children if the government is to meet its 2010 and 2020 child poverty targets.”
Adrian Desmond (cerebral palsy lawyer) agrees and says:
“This shows the real need for extra assistance and finance that parents and families with disabled children especially cerebral palsy have. Society has shown itself to be unwilling through its taxes to provide the necessary help which is why compensation claims for those who are able to bring them remain such an important source of essential help”
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