Lack of childcare for disabled and special needs children is highlighted

This comes after the findings of a survey which consulted families on the barriers they face in accessing childcare and employment.

The survey’s findings mean that many parents of disabled children cannot return to work. 70% of the parents surveyed are not in employment due to caring responsibilities relating to their child(ren) with disabilities and/or special needs.

94% of parents of disabled and/or special needs children find school holiday periods to be the most difficult time of the year to access childcare.

The report also says the main source of childcare for a family is through informal provision (66%), with grandparents being the most common choice.

Sarah Hillis, a Lisburn parent who has three children with disabilities, backed the findings of the report.

“I am a mother to three children all of which were born prematurely. Luke, 12, has Attention Deficit Disorder and is on the autistic spectrum, Hope, 4 has extremely complex medical needs and Imogen, 2, has chronic lung disease and developmental delay” Sarah said. 

“Trying to find a job which understands that you may have to leave work at the drop of a hat because your child is so ill is nearly impossible, so both my husband and I have had to leave work. I decided that it was an opportunity to try to go back to college to study towards a degree in nursing, to offer me flexibility around my children.”

She continued: “I didn’t choose to be unemployed nor did my husband. Unfortunately working is just not an option at this present time. Both my husband and I are proud to stand up and say we are carers.

“There is a lack of additional support as my children do not fit a specific bracket. There is Down’s Syndrome, and Autism support groups, but who supports those who fall outside any of these brackets?”

Nora Smith, Policy and Information Manager with Employers For Childcare Charitable Group, said: “The report’s findings confirm what families have been telling us for some time, accessing appropriate childcare is both difficult and costly, this makes working an impossibility for many families. A key message from the report is that parents would like to work but are limited by the lack of specialist childcare. Without investing in a childcare infrastructure many parents will not be in a position to return to work. We need our politicians to sit up and realise this is an important issue.”

If you would like a copy of the “Childcare for All?” report or would like to find out more about the lack of childcare services available for Northern Ireland children with disabilities and/or special needs, call free on 0800 028 6538 or visit www.employersforchildcare.org.