New website to support adults working with disabled children

The ‘Disability Matters’ website features e-learning resources to support organisations, workers and volunteers across all sectors to develop the communication and problem-solving skills required to work confidently with disabled children.

Launched by the Disability Matters Consortium, a group of national organisations working together with disabled children and parent carers, and funded by the Department of Health, the site’s content covers more than 30 topics related to disability.

‘Disability Matters’ includes practical things that can be done to make a difference to the health and well-being of disabled children, and aims to challenge people to reflect upon their own attitudes and beliefs about disability.

According to a survey of over 2,000 adults commissioned by the Disability Matters Consortium, a quarter are not confident communicating with a disabled child. Of these, 28 per cent are aged 18-24.

A further 27 per cent of participants in this age group said they wouldn’t feel confident speaking to the parents of a child who they think might be disabled.

The survey also found that:

• Just 5 per cent of adults feel confident when they meet a disabled person;
• More than 85 per cent say if they had a disabled child they would worry that he or she would find it harder to get a job;
• 82 per cent believe there should be more training in the workplace to ensure employees feel confident about working with those who are disabled.

Dr Karen Horridge, clinical lead for the Disability Matters Programme and fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), a member of the Disability Matters Consortium, said, ‘Much needs to be done and can be done to improve everyone’s attitudes and confidence around disabled people of all ages. Disabled people – there are 11.6 million in the UK - have equal rights to make their own choices, to take part in everyday activities, go to school, work, travel about and access services, the same as anyone else.

‘However, at the moment there are lots of challenges and barriers in our society that result in them being excluded. Worse than that, significant numbers are abused, tormented and ridiculed and many die prematurely because services do not value them enough and lack the competence and confidence to treat them equally.

She added, ‘There is still a long way to go before we can stand up in Britain and say that we are an equal society, where disabled people are valued, respected and warmly welcomed as equals.’