disabled children's partnership

CALM is a proud member of the Disabled Children’s Partnership (DCP) – a growing coalition of more than 100 organisations campaigning for improved health and social care for disabled children, 

young people and their families in England.

We know 43% of the British public don’t know anyone who is disabled and that 97% of parents with a 

disabled child don't believe the public understands the challenges they face every day.

The DCP’s Secret Life of Us – developed in close partnership with parents – reveals the parts of their lives that most people simply do not see – bringing to life the realities of the challenges disabled children, young people and their families face when living a life many of us take for granted. The Secret Life of Us aims to open the eyes of the public to the difficulties faced by families on a day-to-day basis, removing the barriers to people being able to relate to the lives of disabled children. 

Of course, we need action as well as awareness raising, and the DCP has set out Three Pillars to deliver better support to disabled children and their families - a call to the Government to address the crisis in health and social care for disabled children and their families.

In June 2019, the DCP launched ‘Give It Back’ in partnership with the Sun newspaper.  Give It Back builds on The Secret Life of Us; focusing on the negative impacts of the lack of services on children and families. It also asks for the Government to fill the funding gap for social care services for disabled children, which is now a staggering £573 million per year.

DCP’s ‘Left In Lockdown’ research during the coronavirus pandemic highlighted its disproportionate impact on disabled children and their families, and called for the Government to act.  The DCP’s research since the pandemic has shown that services are still failing to meet the needs of disabled children and their families.