A mother facing challenges recently shared a heartbreaking experience when her son was denied entry to a school summer club due to his special needs. According to a new study by disability charity Sense, only a small percentage of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in England will receive support from holiday clubs this summer.
The research also highlights that approximately one in 10 local councils in England do not offer holiday clubs for disabled children, resulting in more than 61,000 children being left without access to such services. This situation is compelling some parents to leave their jobs to provide full-time care for their children, while others struggle with the high costs of private support services, which can amount to hundreds of pounds per week.
For Zoe Hodgson, a mother of a four-year-old son with special needs, the scarcity of holiday club options during the summer poses significant challenges. Zoe, like many parents, is awaiting an official autism diagnosis for her son Theo, a process she describes as lengthy with extensive assessment waiting times. She emphasizes that despite Theo’s need for extra assistance compared to typical children, he enjoys playing with toys and interacting with peers. Therefore, being turned away from a club she had paid for came as a shock.
Zoe, a 25-year-old mother from Cardiff, had paid £150 for Theo to attend a school holiday club. However, upon disclosing that Theo was not yet toilet trained and wore pull-up nappies, the staff informed her that they could not accommodate him, citing it as their policy. This incident left Zoe devastated and in tears, highlighting the ongoing struggles faced by families with disabled children during the holiday period.
The concerning report from Sense indicates that a significant number of parent carers nationwide encounter difficulties in finding suitable holiday clubs for their disabled children, leading to financial strains and even job resignations. This is the case for Kathryn Mulroy, a 37-year-old mother from West Yorkshire, who had to quit her job in mental health to care for her three children, two of whom have additional needs.
Kathryn’s experience reflects the broader issue of inadequate support for disabled children during school holidays, impacting families both financially and emotionally. The lack of accessible holiday clubs for disabled children, as highlighted by the report, underscores the urgent need for improved services and resources to address the disparities faced by families across different regions.
In response to these challenges, Sense urges parents to seek assistance from local authorities for children’s social care support, including funding for holiday clubs and childcare. While efforts are being made to enhance support through programs like the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) initiative, more coordinated actions are necessary to ensure that children with special needs have equal access to holiday activities and essential services.