Families of disabled children urge PM to meet them over social care failures
Families of disabled children have written to the Prime Minister demanding urgent reform of a social care system they say is ignoring their needs.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Campaigners have described the social care provided to disabled children in England as outdated, fragmented and no longer fit for purpose. In an open letter to the Prime Minister, seen by Channel 4 News, they ask him to meet families to hear what changes are actually needed.
The letter says too many childhoods are shaped by a social care system that is confusing, inconsistent and too often absent when families need it most. Many parents say they must reach crisis point before help is even considered.
The campaign comes as the family of Alf Chapman, an 11-year-old with cerebral palsy, spoke about their struggle to get care. Alf has high care needs, including feeding that can take up to an hour, and overnight seizures that need monitoring. His mother, Emma Chapman, described a constant battle with Derbyshire County Council. Alf was awarded 10 hours of care a week, half the amount applied for and too little to attract carers. The council has also refused help for one night a week, and the family says they have been forcibly discharged from the epilepsy team after being called uncooperative.
Derbyshire County Council would not comment on Alf's case but said it recognised the significant pressure of caring for a child with complex needs, and that decisions are based on an assessment of need and are regularly reviewed.
The letter to the Prime Minister urges him to make children's social care as much a priority as adult social care. A Law Commission review of legislation surrounding disabled children's social care, published a year ago, recommended 40 changes. It found the existing laws to be unfair, bafflingly complex, outdated and offensive. The Department for Education has delayed its full response, saying it wants to align it with reforms of special educational needs and enable a more joined-up approach across health, education and social care.
Campaigners say the Law Commission recommendations should be brought in right now, with no more delay. They also call for equity of access to support, including respite care and the right to paid leave for parents, and for local councils to be properly funded to meet those needs.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 4 |
|---|---|
| Alf Chapman was awarded 10 hours of care a week, half the amount applied for and too little to attract carers. | |
| An open letter to the Prime Minister asks him to meet families to hear what changes are needed. | |
| The Law Commission review recommended 40 changes and found existing laws to be unfair, bafflingly complex, outdated and offensive. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Channel 4 News focused on the human impact of social care failures through the story of Alf Chapman and his family, while also covering the open letter to the Prime Minister and the Law Commission review. The tone was sympathetic to the family and critical of the system, highlighting the gap between policy promises and lived experience.
- “Campaigners have tonight described the social care provided to disabled children in England as outdated, fragmented and no longer fit for purpose.”
- “The letter says too many of their childhoods are shaped by a social care system that is confusing, inconsistent and too often absent when families need it most.”
- “The Law Commission recommendations that would modernise and simplify the rights of disabled children to access social care should be brought in right now.”
Broadcast Timeline
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