Disability parenting is hard, and often isolating – an experience that more parents are unfortunately relating to as time goes by. What often makes this harder is the lack of practical support available to parents of SEND children in the forms of childcare and practical help in our communities. For me as a lone mother to my gorgeous girl Zariah, the isolation was too much to bare and ultimately contributed to a major mental breakdown in February 2024. A painful event which was wholly avoidable with a solution as simple as having inclusive childcare in place. 

Whilst mainstream childcare may not be suitable for all, it should be inclusive and is definitely more than suitable for some, as it was for my daughter for many years, despite her physical and intellectual disabilities. She thrived socially with a lovely minder and her family. Many SEND parents face exclusion when looking for childcare which can often put families off looking for support full stop, and disability alone should not a dealbreaker for getting help with care. As a working parent, having childcare for my daughter was crucial. Having a career helped fulfil my sense of identity outside of parenting, and accessing mainstream childcare helped develop my little ones social skills at a rate doctors said was not possible. This is an experience I think should be open to all families who want to, but unfortunately, research shows that parents of SEND children are finding it increasingly difficult to find suitable care, and the lack of availability can very quickly begin to feel like discrimination. This is the feeling I aim to tackle with this service.