News and media | Contact

Councils unlawfully refuse care assessments

Friday 7th August 2020

According to a report published this week by Cerebra, Disability Law Service, Leeds University, and the BBC, at least 41 local councils across England have policies that block autistic children from getting a social care assessment. This is unlawful.

Used Contact’s support, information and advice during the pandemic? We’d love to know more!

Thursday 6th August 2020

We want to know how families have accessed Contact's information and advice during lockdown. This will help us to improve these resources for you and for other families with disabled children.

Living with a rare condition in lockdown

Monday 3rd August 2020

All families have found life under lockdown difficult, but many of those affected by rare conditions have found life particularly challenging. Approximately 3.5 million people in the UK have a rare condition. Collectively, rare conditions are not rare, but they are often chronic and life-threatening. Learning to cope with shielding advice, delays and changes to treatments and a lack of access to therapies and carers have left many families struggling.

We’re helping parent carers understand more about benefits for 16-19 year olds this August

Thursday 30th July 2020

This month we’re focusing on helping you understand more about benefits for 16-19 year olds. It’s a complex area of the benefits system. While your child is under 16, they are automatically treated as your dependent and you can claim benefits like Child Benefit or Child Tax Credit for them as part of your family.

Shielding guidance to change across the UK in August

Tuesday 28th July 2020

From the end of July in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland and later in August in Wales, shielding guidance for vulnerable people is coming to an end. Here we summarise the changes across the UK.

Education Committee publishes Government response to report

Friday 24th July 2020

The Education Committee has published the government response to its report on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Changing Places toilets to be made compulsory

Wednesday 22nd July 2020

Changing Places toilets for disabled people are being made compulsory for new buildings from 2021. Changing places toilets are different to standard accessible toilets because they provide a large space with the extra equipment that carers of severely disabled children and young people, and severely disabled adults, need to use the toilet safely and comfortably.

Views needed on Carer’s Leave

Wednesday 22nd July 2020

The government is currently running a consultation on their proposal to give working carers a weeks’ unpaid Carer’s Leave from work each year.

DfE/DHSC ministerial letter to children and young people with send, their families and those who support them

Tuesday 21st July 2020

Helen Whately MP, Minister of State for Care, and Vicky Ford MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families, have written a ministerial letter ahead of the full return to school in England in September.

People with learning disabilities continue to die prematurely, new report shows

Tuesday 21st July 2020

The fourth annual report from the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review (LeDeR) programme shows that people with learning disabilities in England are more likely to die prematurely and from treatable causes of death compared to the general population.