Report published on Institutionalising Parent Carer Blame

A new report from the University of Leeds and Cerebra, Institutionalising Parent Carer Blame, finds that national and local social care policies in England assume parental failings when assessing disabled children. This flawed approach locates the problems associated with a child’s impairment in the family.

The research cites many comments made by parent carers: parents who described the process as ‘humiliating’; ‘bullying’ and ‘devastating’. 

The Challenging Behaviour Foundation supports the recommendation that the Department for Education should publish, as a matter of urgency, separate statutory guidance to address the specific needs of disabled children and their families.

Viv Cooper, CEO of the Challenging Behaviour Foundation and parent commented:

Families who have a child with a disability contact social care hoping for additional support to meet the complex needs of their child. This important research carried out by The University of Leeds and Cerebra provides evidence that the system for assessing the needs of disabled children is not fit for purpose and highlights the need for immediate change. These findings must be acted on as a matter of urgency.