Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

If society is willing to fund childcare for working parents - should parents of disabled children be equally entitled to this?

128 replies

MamaLlama123 · 17/06/2026 06:46

As a society we spend millions on funding childcare for working parents - policy is framed as this “free childcare for working parents”. One of the main arguments for access to this free childcare is because women shouldn’t have to give up careers/ pensions/ financial independence when they become mothers

However families of disabled/ send children often find that these hours are unusable in practice because settings can’t meet needs/ reduced timetables or simply will not offer places. Is seems unfair that mothers are expected to step down from work/ reduce hours/ absorb all caring responsibility. nurseries/ schools will often say that the requires requires a 1:1 to access the setting which no one seems prepared to fund

The parents with the highest caring responsibilities often greater financial pressure have least access to childcare and the workforce. Any if lack of childcare pushes these women/ families out of the workforce - then shouldn’t the benefits system compensate for this, for the earning and pension losses that result. An example of this that the money spent on 30hrs free childcare place to be directly given the the family

Or should these mothers/ families just accept that they should be at home? If a mother of a disabled does wish to maintain her career/ work - is this a legitimate goal that society should support or is that selfish because her child’s needs are greater.

I would be interested to hear thoughts as well as hear from families in a similar position

OP posts:
LittlePetitePsychopath · 17/06/2026 06:55

From a fairness perspective, of course they should be supported. From a reality perspective, it’s unlikely. There’s not even enough childcare for children that easily fit into the system and there’s never been enough support for disabled children.

I suspect the government would say that DLA is provided directly to the families? But I’m also not sure the 30 hours free being paid to them really helps. It’d be worth just over £80 a week where I am. I don’t think that would really buy any help for the families or parents of disabled children at all.

In theory social services can help with respite, but again, in reality it’s not often the case and certainly not reliably enough that it’d support a career.

ucAndChildBenefit · 17/06/2026 06:54

I think they should massively increase carers allowance and change it to a non taxable benefit instead then parents receiving it could use it to fund whatever they need eg childcare/respite/other help

SunIsGreat · 17/06/2026 06:51

I have a disabled child. I could have respite care, which parents of children without disability don't get. I don't expect to have anything funded over and above normal childcare. With additional needs, I expect my DH to support my career and take his share of absorbing the extra demands to enable us both to work. It hasn't actually worked out that way in reality though. Supports are funded for disabled children, so that can be used for extra help and care if needed.