Progress of three in four disabled kids has been hit by the pandemic, study finds
NEARLY three quarters of disabled children have had their progress set back by the pandemic, research shows.
A survey by the Disabled Children’s Partnership, an umbrella organisation of 90 children’s and disability charities, found 71 per cent of kids with disabilities now have worse living conditions and have seen their development slow.
It comes as The Sun relaunches its Give It Back campaign demanding that the Government reinstate the £434 million of funding it has cut from services such as respite care and vital equipment.
Families of disabled kids have become more isolated as lockdown has eased- with 90 per cent of kids and 60 per cent of parents feeling lonely- more than in April this year.
Parents are struggling to get respite breaks they need to stop relationships with their kids coming under strain.
The group, which represents more than 90 charities, also found 70 per cent of hospital trusts are missing targets for physiotherapy appointments while more than half of councils are not delivering care plans on time.
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They are calling on Rishi Sunak to plug a £434 million gap in funding for services such as therapies and respite.
Disabled Children’s Partnership Deputy Chair Richard Kramer said: “We are calling on the government to ensure children not only heal from the pandemic but have the best possible chance to live a happy and healthy life.
“We also ask for recovery policies to help disabled children make up for delays to therapies and health appointments which have impacted their physical development and chances to develop vital life skills.”