Sussex charity joins national campaign for better care for children with disabilities

A Sussex charity is campaigning for better health and social care for youngsters with disabilities and additional needs and is asking what has it been like for young people with disabilities to return to school.
Chailey Heritage Foundation. Picture: Google Street View SUS-200307-143721001Chailey Heritage Foundation. Picture: Google Street View SUS-200307-143721001
Chailey Heritage Foundation. Picture: Google Street View SUS-200307-143721001

Chailey Heritage Foundation, situated between Lewes and Haywards Heath, cares for children and young people with complex disabilities is involved in a national campaign

It is a supporter of The Disabled Children’s Partnership, a coalition of more than 80 charities nationwide. Together they are campaigning for what they say are key improvements.

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Other members include Carers UK, Down’s Syndrome Association, Rainbow Trust and the National Deaf Children’s Society.

As part of the campaign, Chailey Heritage has been encouraging parents and carers of children with disabilities to complete a Back to School survey.

Fiona Duff from Chailey Heritage said: “We felt it was important to join The Disabled Children’s Partnership, working with many other charities.

“Back in May, we asked parents and carers what life was like in lockdown, and the DCP received thousands of responses referring to many difficult situations.

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“Those responses were used by the Partnership to lobby Ministers and to raise the profile of disabled children. Now we have been asking a different question: Have things improved since then? And also, what has the return to school or college been for young disabled people?”

The DCP believes that disabled children, young people and their families should have access to the services they are entitled to, when they need them.

A spokesman said: “We are not asking for disabled children to be singled out or treated differently. We are asking for fairness.”