{"id":67717,"date":"2025-04-10T14:19:13","date_gmt":"2025-04-10T13:19:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/?page_id=67717"},"modified":"2026-01-06T11:53:16","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T11:53:16","slug":"from-crisis-to-care","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/about-us\/research\/from-crisis-to-care\/","title":{"rendered":"From crisis to care: making social care work for disabled children"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t<div class=\"banner    is-style-primary-tint-10  align-full\">\t\t<div class=\"banner__flex\">\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"banner__figure\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Thomas-1-900x600.png\" class=\"banner__img\" alt=\"A young boy with blonde wavy hair and blue glasses grins as he holds a drum stick, about to bang a drum. A Sense support worker wearing a purple Sense polo shirt smiles at him and supports him to sit up.\" style=\"object-position: 38.87% 44.30%;\" \/> \t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"banner__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<p class=\"is-style-intro\">Our new research seeks to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list is-style-primary-bullets\">\n<li>better understand the experiences of families when trying to access social care support for their disabled child<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>detail the challenges of the fragmented system<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>lay out recommendations for change.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/about-us\/research\/from-crisis-to-care\/report\/\">Read the full report<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-hs-group  align-full  margin-top-4xl\">\t\t<div class=\"wrap\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n  <div class=\"wp-block  box    is-style-textured-secondary-tint-10  align-right\">    <div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<p>If you\u2019re the parent of a disabled child and you\u2019ve struggled to access social care, we want to hear from you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/action.sense.org.uk\/page\/169535\/data\/1?ea.tracking.id=landing-page\">Share your story<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading is-style-default\">Methodology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The findings of this research were informed by a literature review, eight interviews, polling of parent carers of disabled children, and discussions with our Parent Reference Group &#8211; eight parents with disabled children who access Sense\u2019s services.  The research was carried out across 2024 and 2025.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/sense-children-social-care-summary-2025.pdf\">PDF version of the summary<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Disabled-childrens-social-care-campaign-_TEXT-ONLY.docx\">Word version of the summary<\/a><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-secondary\"\/>\n\n\n\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-hs-group  \">\t\t<div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left is-style-title-primary\">Research findings<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">Social care can be a lifeline for disabled children and their families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">All too often they are unable to access the support they need.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\n\t\t<ul class=\"iconList  iconList--big\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"iconList__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"iconList__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Lottery_Purple_RGB_Ball-1-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"A number 1 with a purple background\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Lottery_Purple_RGB_Ball-1-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Lottery_Purple_RGB_Ball-1-450x450.png 450w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Lottery_Purple_RGB_Ball-1-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Lottery_Purple_RGB_Ball-1-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"iconList__content\"><p class=\"intro\">The social care system is not set up to support disabled children and their families.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\n\n\n<p>Current laws prioritise child protection, with a lack of focus on providing disabled children with the care and support they need. There is no national threshold for local authorities to follow, meaning stark variation across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list is-style-primary-bullets\">\n<li>Over half of parents struggle to access support and services that meet the needs of their disabled child.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>40% of families who access social care support had to fight for it at tribunal so their child could get the support they need.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>17% of families have been waiting more than a year to be seen by social services.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\t\n\t\t<ul class=\"iconList  iconList--big\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"iconList__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"iconList__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Lottery_Purple_RGB_Ball-2-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"A number 2 with a purple background\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Lottery_Purple_RGB_Ball-2-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Lottery_Purple_RGB_Ball-2-450x450.png 450w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Lottery_Purple_RGB_Ball-2-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Lottery_Purple_RGB_Ball-2-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"iconList__content\"><p class=\"intro\">There is a lack of understanding and prioritisation of the services disabled children need by policy makers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\n\n\n<p>The funding available for specialist services and commissioning across the country is inadequate and inconsistent, leaving some areas with no services at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list is-style-primary-bullets\">\n<li>61% of parents felt decisions made by their local authority were motivated by cutting costs.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Almost half of parents do not trust their local authority to provide the care and support their disabled child is entitled to.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Half of parents have had to top up or fund additional support for their disabled child themselves<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\t\n\t\t<ul class=\"iconList  iconList--big\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"iconList__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"iconList__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Lottery_Purple_RGB_Ball-3-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"A number 3 with a purple background\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Lottery_Purple_RGB_Ball-3-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Lottery_Purple_RGB_Ball-3-450x450.png 450w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Lottery_Purple_RGB_Ball-3-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Lottery_Purple_RGB_Ball-3-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"iconList__content\"><p>Parents face stigma when accessing social care for their disabled child, particularly those from minoritised communities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\n\n\n<p>Parents are often shamed and blamed, rather than supported. Many are in fear of asking for help at all, for fear of having their child taken away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list is-style-primary-bullets\">\n<li>Over half of parents felt stigma around accessing support from social services for their disabled child.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>70% of parents and carers are losing sleep because they are worrying about a lack of support for their disabled child.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading is-style-default\">What needs to change<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We&#8217;re calling on the government to:<\/p>\n\n\n\t\n\t\t<ul class=\"iconList  iconList--big\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"iconList__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"iconList__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Route_Purple_RGB-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Sketch of a route with purple arrows indicating the direction\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Route_Purple_RGB-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Route_Purple_RGB-500x501.png 500w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Route_Purple_RGB-450x450.png 450w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Route_Purple_RGB-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Route_Purple_RGB-100x100.png 100w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Route_Purple_RGB.png 596w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"iconList__content\"><p><strong>Change the law to create a simple and streamlined process for all disabled children to easily access the right support.<\/strong> A new legal duty to assess all disabled children should be set, and a national eligibility threshold should be established to ensure more consistent access to social care across the country.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"iconList__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"iconList__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/1-in-10-sense-website-infographics-1-7-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"graphic of 10 people - 1 is orange, 9 are purple\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/1-in-10-sense-website-infographics-1-7-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/1-in-10-sense-website-infographics-1-7-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/1-in-10-sense-website-infographics-1-7-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"iconList__content\"><p><strong>Improve collaboration and training for professionals so parents don\u2019t feel like the only experts in their child\u2019s care.<\/strong> All local authorities should ensure a Designated Social Care Officer is available. They should provide specialist training and effective multi-agency working for professionals across care, health and education.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"iconList__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"iconList__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Choices-sign_Purple_EPS_CMYK-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Choices-sign_Purple_EPS_CMYK-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Choices-sign_Purple_EPS_CMYK-500x500.png 500w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Choices-sign_Purple_EPS_CMYK-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Choices-sign_Purple_EPS_CMYK-100x100.png 100w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Choices-sign_Purple_EPS_CMYK.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"iconList__content\"><p><strong>End the postcode lottery of care and patchy provision.<\/strong> Provide long-term, ringfenced funding for the services disabled children need and support commissioners with evidence and guidance of what works. Early intervention is key, and social care should be available as soon as a child\u2019s support needs are established.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"iconList__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"iconList__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/volunteer_purple_rgb-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Paintbrush marks of a person with their hand up\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/volunteer_purple_rgb-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/volunteer_purple_rgb-100x100.png 100w, https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/volunteer_purple_rgb.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"iconList__content\"><p><strong>Make disabled children visible by counting them.<\/strong> More investment is needed in data infrastructure, to better understand where and when disabled children need support. This will mean local authorities can be smarter with the way services are planned, commissioned and funded.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-textured-primary-tint-10 is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m terrified of hitting that crisis&#8230;I am a single parent. I can\u2019t go under. It\u2019s as simple as that. I simply can\u2019t fail at this.\u201d<\/p>\n<cite>Amir, parent<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n  <div class=\"wp-block  box    is-style-textured-grey-tint-10\">    <div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Speak to our policy team<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;d like more information about this research, please get in touch: <a href=\"mailto:policy.research@sense.org.uk\">policy.research@sense.org.uk<\/a><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Social care can be a lifeline for disabled children and their families. All too often they are unable to access the support they need. Current laws prioritise child protection, with a lack of focus on providing disabled children with the care and support they need. There is no national threshold for local authorities to follow, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":0,"parent":5950,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","footnotes":""},"content_label":[],"class_list":["post-67717","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/67717","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/61"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67717"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/67717\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5950"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67717"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"content_label","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content_label?post=67717"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}