A poll of 1,000 parent carers raising disabled children shows that 1 in 5 (21%) want more childcare than they are able to access.
Published by national charity Family Fund, the new report ‘Locked out of Childcare’ finds over a third (38%) of families with disabled children who want more childcare can’t afford it, while 29% say childcare is unsuitable because it doesn’t meet the needs of disabled children.
The report, based on a YouGov poll, reflecting the responses of 1,000 UK families, says:
Over 1 in 5 families (21%) would like more paid childcare than they currently receive.
Key barriers facing families who would like more childcare include affordability (38%) and suitable provision (29%)
More than half (51%) of full-time parents and carers who responded say they would work more if suitable childcare hours become available to them.
More than half (55%) of parent carers who say that childcare provision does not meet their child’s needs say it negatively impacts on their wellbeing.
Getting childcare right can improve family wellbeing, give parent carers a break from caring and support them to spend time with other family members.
Family Fund provides grants for families on the lowest incomes raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people. Family Fund’s Group Director of External Affairs, Helen Gravestock said:
“Across the country, families raising disabled children have poorer access to childcare than those with non-disabled children and this impacts negatively on the entire family.
“51% of parent carers who responded are unable to work and are therefore unable to earn as much as they want to, due to a lack of childcare. Meanwhile the extra costs of disability exceed £1,000 a month.
“For those without family support, childcare may be the only way to get a break from caring, and for children with complex medical conditions or who need constant supervision, parent carers are being left in a vulnerable position.
“We want to see better access to inclusive childcare for disabled children and investment into the childcare workforce.
“It means ensuring financial barriers do not exclude disabled children because of upfront costs or additional disability-related expenses.
“Inclusive and affordable childcare would make an enormous, positive difference in the lives of parent carers who go above and beyond to support and provide for their children.”
Quotes from families
“There is no childcare options available to us at all… no childcare provision would accept him as he would need full time one to one support and the cost was of that was massive”
“There are no breakfast/after school clubs that can accommodate my child due to his needs. Any other childcare is expensive. If there was an available childcare provision it would be a major benefit.”
“The only difference it would make is I would be able to get a job. The benefits as a family would be we may be better off, depending how much the childcare would cost. I would also like to work.”
Family story:
Kat has three children and lives with her partner in Flimby in Cumbria. Her oldest son, John-Henry who’s 17, has severe autism & learning disabilities. She also has two other children, a son and a daughter. She explains the barriers she’s faced over the last 17 years:
“We live in a rural area and I can confidently say there is no childcare that my child with additional needs can access that is suitable. I have always tried to work and it’s been a struggle. My oldest child John-Henry has been put in danger because of a lack of proper care when he was placed in preschool. John-Henry would have been about four and I’d dropped him off less than an hour before, when I got a phone call from a friend to say she’d found him in the car park. They were very apologetic, but clearly he wasn’t safe there.
“John Henry had no awareness of danger growing up, so he’d jump off buildings, run into roads, it was extremely challenging. We were able to find a specialist school for him eventually, which he still attends today – but in terms of childcare outside of school hours – nothing. Not even a before or after school club and we have no family anywhere nearby to help.
“Tragically, I was very suddenly widowed in 2018 and found myself alone with three children, and absolutely no support. It took for me to have a breakdown to be offered just one night respite every four weeks. But that’s respite – that’s when you can no longer manage a moment longer – it’s not childcare. Childcare is what all parents need to be able to function, to cope, to work.
“I now have a new partner and we both do shift work and work full time. Money’s tight, we’ve had support from Family Fund for a trampoline, a tumble dryer, a holiday and an iPad which helps John Henry regulate and communicate.
“There’s just not enough support – Cumbria’s a big place, but we need a local hub that families can go to. There is absolutely nothing in the terms of support or childcare for children with additional needs that is suitable or safe for them. You shouldn’t have to fight if you want anything or be in crisis before the system eventually decides to help.”
Read the ‘Locked out of Childcare’ report recommendations.
About the research
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. The total sample size was 1001 adults with a child under 18 with a diagnosed learning difficulty, neurodevelopmental condition, or special educational need and / or a physical disability, physical impairment, or long term physical condition that affects movement, coordination, vision, hearing, or everyday physical activities. Fieldwork was undertaken between 10th – 24th June 2026. The survey was carried out online.
