Mr Burnham’s first 100 days: three opportunities to improve life for disabled children and families
4 mins read
Monday 20 July 2026
Andy Burnham MP takes office today, becoming the next Prime Minster. Families across the UK will be hoping that improving support for disabled children and young people becomes an early priority.
Drawing on the experiences of the hundreds of thousands of families Contact supports each year, we know parents want practical changes that make everyday life easier, reduce unnecessary stress and end the constant battles many face to get the support they need. There are many challenges ahead, but there are also opportunities to make meaningful progress from day one.
“The first 100 days of a new government set the tone for what follows. Families with disabled children aren’t asking for special treatment. They’re asking for practical changes that remove unnecessary barriers and give their children the opportunity to thrive. These three actions would make a real difference to thousands of families across the country.”
Contact CEO Anna Bird
Here are three opportunities we believe should be at the heart of Mr Burnham’s first 100 days.
Unlock Child Trust Funds and Junior ISAs for disabled young people
Around 80,000 disabled young people who lack the mental capacity to manage their own finances are unable to access savings held in Child Trust Funds and Junior ISAs because of an outdated, costly and lengthy court process.
There is now real momentum behind finding a solution. Baroness Levitt recently brought together ministers, financial services providers, charities and parent carers to explore practical UK-wide options. We welcome that commitment. We urge the government to build on this work so disabled young people can finally access money that belongs to them.
The solution we are championing could unlock more than £210 million belonging to disabled young people. And by building on existing industry processes, it avoids creating significant additional costs for government.
Create a fairer, simpler social care system for disabled children
Too many parent carers tell us that asking for help feels like a battle. Families often have to fight for basic support, repeat their stories time and again, and reach crisis point before help is available. Some families even tell us they feel blamed simply for asking for the support their child is entitled to.
The Law Commission has already set out clear recommendations to modernise disabled children’s social care law in England. Implementing these recommendations would create a simpler, fairer and kinder system, giving families greater confidence that support will be available when they need it, preventing crises and reducing the stigma that too often surrounds asking for help.
Write to your MP about making disabled children’s social care fairer.
Build trust in SEND reforms by listening to families
The SEND White Paper in England presents an opportunity to improve support, but many families remain worried about the proposals. Contact has been working with parent carers to understand what needs to change. Families consistently tell us they want confidence that the support promised to their child will actually be delivered.
As the proposals are developed, we urge Ministers and officials to listen carefully to families. They must ensure that support set out in Individual Support Plans is legally enforceable. There should be clear rights of appeal when support is not provided.
Children and families need a SEND system that builds trust, strengthens accountability and improves outcomes.
Looking ahead
These three opportunities are practical, achievable and would make a real difference to disabled children and their families. They should also mark the beginning of a longer-term commitment to building a more secure future.
That means ensuring families can access the financial support they need; working with disabled young people and their families to develop a better approach to employment and welfare support; and removing barriers to opportunity rather than creating new ones.
By listening to families, Mr Burnham and his ministerial team have an opportunity to create a fairer, kinder and more inclusive system that gives every disabled child and young person the chance to thrive.
Contact stands ready to work constructively with the new government, helping ensure parent carers have meaningful opportunities to share their experiences and shape the policies and laws that affect their families.