Nursery World - Anger at disability provision

A single parent has launched a campaign to protest at the lack of local out-of-school and holiday childcare provision available for disabled children. Sophie Ugle, from Kingston upon Thames in Surrey, said the issue was part of a national problem that the Government's national childcare strategy had failed to address. She has written a report outlining how the strategy is failing disabled children and their families in her area and also gives her solutions on how to improve local services.

Sophie Ugle, from Kingston upon Thames in Surrey, said the issue was part of a national problem that the Government's national childcare strategy had failed to address. She has written a report outlining how the strategy is failing disabled children and their families in her area and also gives her solutions on how to improve local services.

The report has been sent to more than 25 people, including education secretary Charles Clarke, Sure Start minister Catherine Ashton, local councillors and chief executives of national voluntary organisations.

Ms Ugle, who trained as a registered nurse and works full-time in the voluntary sector, said she wrote the report out of her own 'personal frustrations' in trying to secure childcare for her 12-year-old daughter, Rachel, whose severe learning disabilities mean she needs extra support in a mainstream club. Ms Ugle said the specialist provision available in Kingston did not provide enough hours for working parents. She said, 'Over the years I have listened to other mothers' experiences. Our increasing disappointment at the local council's failure to deliver the National Childcare Strategy, with its slogan "Childcare for All", has culminated in a need to be heard.'

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