Entry points

The recently published Joseph Rowntree Foundation report Supporting disabled adults in their parenting role brought together two years of research into the barriers that face disabled parents. The Task Force, which heard evidence from parents, professionals and researchers, found a system where disabled parents may be misunderstood, be ignored in decisions about policies and services and sometimes feel too afraid to approach anyone for help.

For the staff at Disability, Pregnancy and Parenthood international (DPPi), the findings came as no surprise. Complaints about poor access to services are common reasons for disabled parents contacting the information service.

Parents with hearing difficulties talk of negative reactions when trying to communicate non-verbally. Visually impaired parents find that while services are designed to meet the needs of their children, no allowances are made for their disability. This leads to feelings of isolation, with many disabled people not feeling confident enough to ask for help.