Disabled young people speak out on Sky News

3 mins read

Tuesday 4 June 2024

Tags: disability, disabled children's partnership, research

The Disabled Children’s Partnership, led by Contact, has launched a new report This Is My Life: Hear Me, Help Me. The report is based on views shared by more than 600 disabled young people aged 11-25.

To mark the launch of the report, the research featured in an episode of FYI, the weekly news show for young people on Sky Kids and Sky News. The episode focused on disabled young people and highlighted their experiences.

The programme is really powerful as it shows young disabled people talking directly about their lives and the challenges they face.

What did young people shared

The results paint a concerning picture, showing that only one in five (20%) feels that they have the right amount of formal support to achieve the things that they want in life. Satisfaction with levels of support appears to decline as children get older with only 17% of 19-25 year olds happy with support levels, compared to 29% in 11-15 year olds.

When it comes to having their voices heard, just one in five (20%) disabled young people feel that their views and opinions are taken into account by health and social care workers and a further 90% feel their parents are not getting the right amount of support from the social care system – with only one in ten claiming to be satisfied with the assistance they receive.

Read the Easy Read format of the report

Enough is enough

Anna Bird CEO of Contact and chair of the Disabled Children’s Partnership said:

“The results of this report are deeply concerning and show that sadly, the system in England continues to fail to meet the needs of disabled young people who are left feeling invisible, that they just don’t matter and that their futures do not count. This is placing many of them and their families under enormous strain trying to battle against a system that has borne the brunt of spending cuts and is increasingly difficult to navigate.  

“Enough is enough – we are imploring the next government to put the needs of young disabled people front and centre. They have the right to pursue their life goals, feel safe and secure in their home, get an education and undertake activities they enjoy. With the right support they can develop essential life skills, grow in confidence and look forward to a promising future. This is the least they deserve”.