This has been an interesting and intellectual discussion thread. I've read and learned quite a lot about how people make financial decisions for the long term (or don't). My contributions have been personal anecdata in general. And I'm not entirely typical.
My conclusion is that pension saving has to be made mandatory, from the first pound earned, at every age. The suggestion made somewhere on social media that every baby born should have £10K deposited in their name at birth, that cannot be touched until they are 60, no matter how disabled or deranged or needful they are, would be much cheaper all around.
There's another thread currently running, that I am only reading along because I don't have anything useful to contribute, about NEETs. No one is mentioning the increased cost of caring for babies born prematurely, to adulthood, or the toll exacted on the parents.
It is quite marvellous that the medics can save a 23 or 24 week foetus, but one also needs to accept the price of doing so. Your miracle baby is costing the NHS (and all of us) about £50k per year. Every year in school requires additional support, such as 1-2-1 TA help. Even at NMW that's £25,000 per annum. Yes it is really really distasteful and very unpleasant to write this, but the community cannot afford to let self-interest (your personal wishes for your child in need) dictate policy. I don't have a decent answer though. And you would not like the answer I'd have to make as an alternative.