While better neonatal techniques are resulting in the survival of more premature and sick babies, there is a growing awareness that society faces a huge challenge in matching this level of care as these babies progress into childhood and beyond.
It is estimated that there are now around 11 million disabled adults in the UK, equivalent to 21 per cent of the population. Since 1975, the number of disabled children has grown dramatically, from 476,000 under the age of 16 in 1975 to 772,000 in 2002. This represents an increase of 62 per cent.
Families of disabled children are frequently disadvantaged. Over 50 per cent of families with a disabled child are estimated to live, or have lived, in poverty. They are more likely to live in poor housing, to be single parents, to have lower incomes and also to incur debts. Around 17,000 families in the UK have more than one disabled child.
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