Ordinary lives: Disabled children and their families

Cathy Langerman & Eve Worrall

June 2005, 83 pages

Every day 75 children in the UK are born or diagnosed with a disability. Disabled children have the same needs as other children: to learn, make friends and play. However, they face barriers that prevent them from doing these things, leading to loneliness and frustration.

NPC's report, Ordinary lives, examines the issues facing disabled children and their families, and highlights activities that are most likely to benefit disabled children.

 

Did you know?

• Over half of families with a disabled child live at the margins of poverty, as raising a disabled child costs three times more than raising a non-disabled child.
• Parents of severely disabled children do on average 14 washing loads a week, compared with only two for non-disabled children.

The report highlights priorities for donors including:

• Creating more opportunities for disabled children to make friends with other children
• Supporting families of disabled children, by offering them breaks from caring and helping them fight for the services their child needs
• Training professionals on how to improve schemes for disabled children.

For more information on the costs and benefits of two key services for disabled children and their families, see NPC's report, What price an ordinary life?