Listening to parents of children with disabilities and specialeducational needs was carried out by the Daycare Trust for the LondonDevelopment Agency (LDA). Researchers collected 64 questionnaires andheld interviews and focus groups of London families with disabledchildren under 18 from November 2006 to March 2007.
They found that words frequently used by parents in regard to findingand accessing childcare were 'struggle', 'battle', 'push', and'fight'.
One mother of an eight-year-old with Asperger Syndrome said, 'Every oneof us has to fight for ourselves, don't we ... and you never getanything unless you push for yourself.'
Cost remained the main barrier for parents, while more than half thequestionnaire respondents said they did not use any childcare. Parentsof autistic children had a particularly low take-up, with four out offive parents in the focus groups using no childcare. Availability ofappropriate places and good experiences with providers also variedwidely.
Denise Burke, head of childcare at the LDA, said, 'Parents need a realtrust in providers and there's a general perception that provision thatcan meet their child's needs isn't there. When you are a parent ofdisabled children you can't just find out where your child can have aplace, even where a disabled space exists - what does that actuallymean? What disabilities do they cater for?'
These questions have led to the launch of a second part of the study,focusing on providers' experiences, to be published in March 2008.
The LDA is currently running SEN and disability pilots of its ChildcareAffordability Programme in Enfield, Hackney and Kensington andChelsea.
'Where parents are beginning to access funding in pilots, it's liftinghuge barriers,' said Ms Burke. 'Parents are not asking for freechildcare but asking not to be charged more than parents of non-disabledchildren. They're just asking for equality.'
