“We have to tell everyone that it won’t be available for the whole summer,” said Kate Skeleton, a mother of four. “Everything is infinite.”
As summer approaches, parents around the world are scrambling to find a place to send their children for a six-week break.
While many children are able to attend camp or enroll in child care without any problems, parents of children with special educational needs (SEN) and children with disabilities provide the right place for their children, something that is almost impossible to achieve.
Katie lives in Bromley and is the mother of four children, one of whom suffers from a rare genetic disorder that causes cerebral palsy, autism and general developmental delay. Her daughter Annabel is technically seven years old, but cognitively she appears to be three and always needs face-to-face attention.
“I’m really worried about the summer and how I was able to take care of my baby,” said Kate, who also has twins ages 3 and 10. “It will be very difficult.”
Thriving on consistency and everyday life, Annabel turns her world upside down in six weeks. Kate is afraid that Annabel will have to melt frequently.
“During the lockout, when the boarding school was closed, she had a really bad time and came back terribly,” Katie said. “He always wants to pay attention, and if he doesn’t pay attention, he will show difficult behavior, like hitting himself.”
Kate might have been happy to send Annabel to a specialty camp or club for the summer, but she couldn’t find a suitable one to take Annabel to.
“There are some specialized clubs, but they don’t accept children without restrictions,” Katie says, frustrated. “It’s a shame because he’s been left out of them and some of them are really good.”
After a long battle with the local government, Kate took a 14-hour weekly break during the summer holidays, which is only a fraction of what she and Annabel need.
With all the children home for the summer, Kate finds it difficult to manage their various needs. Annabel needs constant supervision. Her 3-year-old twins are your typical twins who are never late, and her 10-year-old daughter is interested in activities that are completely different from her brothers.
Katia explains: “It is very difficult to plan an activity that we can all do, and it is very difficult to eliminate all three.
“I was in the park lately and everyone came out and fought and cried and I didn’t know who I went to first. That’s impossible.”
Kate has just returned to freelance journalism, but knows that without Annabel’s special care options, the job would take a backseat.
It always feels like fight or flight, and Katie is increasingly stressed and exhausted. Adding summer vacation concerns with Annabel with the help of tight restrictions only adds to the pressure on Kate.
Katy said: With the right support, we can spend a little time to breathe, with older children and with twins. It will be irreplaceable. “
I feel like I’m going nowhere
Katie isn’t the only one facing this impossible challenge. Eighty percent of parents of children with learning disabilities have difficulty accessing support services during the summer holidays. Parents can find it difficult to get paid and receive proper care. Or you may be unsure if your leisure club will meet your child’s needs.
“Many families with children with disabilities say that childcare and leisure clubs may be inadequate while access is restricted,” said Jesselin Parks, senior parent advisor at Contact Said on the need for special education and for families with disabilities. disabilities. “Childcare and leisure clubs are designed to receive and accommodate children with special educational needs, but often this is not the case.
Parents are often unable to afford the high cost of care or professional assistance if the right place is available.
“Offering day care and summer clubs for children with special educational needs can be expensive,” says Parquez. “Families of career-age children can pay eight times more child care costs than other families, leaving many people unable to access child care.”
Municipalities know that it is their duty to provide childcare to everyone, but a third do not have enough childcare in their area for MIA children.
“We need to stop the disadvantage of young children from a young age,” said Parks. “The government can help increase the number of children with disabilities under Universal Credit to enable more families to purchase leisure clubs and nurseries. The quality and location of the children of the SEN. Local governments and day care centers need more money to improve the numbers.
Sharon Calcutta Child is preparing for what is likely to be the summer she will spend caring for her two children, Elliott and Kaya. They both have SEN. Elliott has Down syndrome at the age of 6 and Kaya has Dandy-Walker syndrome at the age of 3.
Kaya’s needs are relatively low, but Elliott must always be careful. Although she attends a special school as a student, Sharon still disagrees with the fact that there is little support during the summer.
“He’s very nice and a hard worker,” said his 42-year-old mother. “I love it in part, but it tires.
When it comes to vacations, you really suffer from the lack of everyday life.
“Everything has changed for him. He has a meltdown and it’s hard for him to concentrate because he doesn’t know what to expect next.”
Across from Sharon is a specialty rec club that runs 6-3 weeks of summer vacation, but its address is technically not included in the pool area to accommodate Elliott.
“It’s really frustrating because there is no such thing in our autonomous region,” says Sharon.
Sharon has started trying to provide something for her family in collaboration with schools and PTAs, but says there is currently nothing suitable for Elliott and other children with SEN.
“I’m desperate,” Sharon sighed. “I’m a freelance production manager, but I have to quit my job in the summer. This is a huge financial hit.”
Elliott gets four hours off a week, which Sharon feels is not enough for her needs.
“We need help,” Sharon said. When she applied to the town hall for a more suitable place for the summer, she was told that she should talk to her social worker.
He states: That was half a year ago. I feel like I can’t go anywhere. “
Sharon is one of many parents with young children who wants to see a change. They want leisure clubs and nurseries to meet the needs of their children. Good communication, welcoming attitude, comprehensive activities.
“It’s not just me,” says Sharon. I am a supporter of all of us. This is a question of equality.
“Why isn’t Elliott worthy of this summer vacation fun that other kids his age deserve?”
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Source: Metro
I am currently a news writer for News Bulletin247 where I mostly cover sports news. I have always been interested in writing and it is something I am very passionate about. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.
