What joy can mean to parent carers – and how you can help unlock it
3 mins read
Tuesday 22 July 2025
Every day, parent carers of disabled children who feel overwhelmed or frustrated turn to us for advice and support. Maybe it’s a school excluding their child, a social care package being cut, or a benefit form that feels impossible to fill in when they’re already running on empty.
But what many don’t realise is that sometimes, we’re the first ones to really listen.
“It makes my day when I’ve really connected with a parent carer and given them advice they found useful, as well as the confidence to go off and use it,” said Gail, one of our helpline parent advisers.
Take Steve, for example. His son was being discharged from hospital and needed specialist equipment at home, but health services had refused their request. We talked him through their rights, who to speak to, what to say. And it worked: he got the equipment. His son came home.
Or Alison, who found out she’d been missing out on Universal Credit for years. Our team helped her claim everything she was entitled to, and to fight for the arrears she was rightfully owed. Alison got over £20,000 in backdated pay. Enough to cover some urgent bills — and even take her daughter on a really special holiday.
Then there was Zara, who was struggling to cope with her feelings since her daughter’s diagnosis. “I don’t even know where to start,” she told us. So together, we started. Step by step.
That’s where the difference begins. By working through issues together, we unlock beautiful things: possibility. Relief. Hope. Joy. Because joy doesn’t have to mean shiny new toys or expensive days out — sometimes, joy is simply knowing you’re not alone. That someone believes in you. When parents feel supported and understood, something inside them shifts.
Please help us unlock joy for more families
This month, we’re asking for your help so we can bring that feeling to even more parents like Steve, Alison and Zara. Please consider donating to our Unlock the Joy Appeal to help us give families a lifeline — and a future filled with joy they thought was out of reach.
The kindness of your donations, however much, can help make all the difference for families. You’re not just giving money: you’re giving reassurance. Guidance. And sometimes, the first glimmer of hope.
Together, we can unlock joy for even more families with disabled children in the UK.
Thank you so much, from all of us at Contact.
Contact offers advice and support for families via our helpline and online services that are funded by the Department for Education, our Family Finance and Listening Ear services and parent workshops.
*Parent names have been changed to protect their identity
