The Law Commission says it’s time to update the outdated & ableist definition of “disabled child” in the Children Act 1989. They recommend using the Equality Act definition (with extensions) to simplify the law & make social care fairer

Danielle, a parent carer from Essex, shares her twins’ journey through the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system.

🦖 Parent carers! Help make #DinoDay2026 roar! 🦖 Invite your child’s school or nursery to join in and celebrate inclusion with fun dino-themed activities.  Copy our ready-to-use email here 👇

Disabled young people need education, not barriers. ❌ Cuts to post-16 school transport leave families stranded. Join us to demand fair transport based on need, not age. #CloseTheLoophole

Live in Conwy or Gwynedd? Book your free appointment and let us help you claim the benefits you deserve with confidence!

Claims that paracetamol in pregnancy causes autism are false. Autism isn’t caused by medicine. For guidance visit:

Do you know whether you are getting the right amount of universal credit as a parent carer? If you need more information, you can find it at https://f.mtr.cool/ltcbauobvw

This week the Education Select Committee has published a report from its inquiry, Solving the SEND crisis. We welcome this detailed report which puts families at its heart. It comes after they carried out sessions with parent groups, charities and professionals with experience of the SEND system.

Yesterday in Westminster Hall MPs debated the SEND education system in England, both the current state of crisis it is in, and the risks and opportunities the government’s forthcoming reforms create.

The Law Commission is calling for radical reform of disabled children’s social care law 🚨  More here:

Ask your MP to act on disabled children’s social care! 📝 The Law Commission has recommended vital reforms to fix an outdated disabled children’s social care system. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a fairer and kinder system.

Today is a big day in parliament for families in England with children who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). A SEND day of action! 💚

We’re on the lookout for volunteers to help our By Your Side team provide advice and info to families at Great Ormond Street Hospital 💚 Interested? Find out more:

From 1 Sept, HMRC has made changes to the eligibility criteria for families with a disabled young person to continue receiving Child Benefit. The rules allow greater flexibility around the types of education and the number of hours of attendance that is accepted, for a claim to continue past 16.

Have you struggled to get social care for your disabled child? Refused support, faced delays, or caught in disputes? We want to hear from you 💬  Email [email protected] 📩

Announced, 21 of 90 new behaviour & attendance hubs. Schools must make reasonable adjustments for SEND pupils & consider needs before sanctions.

Last week the Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, announced new measures to help schools with children’s attendance and behaviour. This includes naming the first 21 of 90 new integrated behaviour and attendance hubs set to open in September.

A parent carer and Contact responds to Richard Tice’s comments on school transport

The Department for Education (DfE) is extending the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme for another three years.

No parent any of our 130 member organisations have come across wants their child in a taxi for hours. They just want the ordinary ambitions of their son or daughter to have an education, to learn and for themselves to be able to work.

What we do know is that children with additional needs often have to travel many more miles to school or college than children of the same age because there is no suitable provision locally.

We are unaware of any evidence at all that backs up Richard Tice’s random assertion. Nor are we aware of Reform having a policy on special educational needs and disabilities.

Don’t miss new dates for our popular workshops. We have upcoming sessions on early years education support, toilet training, and speech, language and communication. Find them here 👇

Whether it was building sandcastles, paddling in the sea or making new friends, our family fun days offer families more than just a change of scenery.

What’s in a name? We’re exploring whether Contact should change its name – and we’d love your thoughts.  Complete our short survey by 4 Sept & you could win £50! 👇

Worried your child still doesn’t have a school place for September? 🏫  Contact’s advisers explain your rights & next steps if plans aren’t in place.  Read more 👇

As the new academic year begins, many families are busy preparing uniforms, school bags and packed lunches. But for parents of disabled children, there’s often a lot more to think about before the first morning alarm.

If you’ve known us for a while, you’ll know we’re called Contact. But over the years, we’ve heard from many people that our name doesn’t always make it clear who we are or what we do.

In our Facebook group we often see parent carers asking questions about making a claim for “credits only” claim for new-style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

A parent is calling on NHS England to revise a policy that bars parents from ordering vital medication for their child when they turn 11 years old.

Government consultations are a useful means of gathering the views and experiences of affected by policy changes. That’s why we encourage parent carers to take part when they can – and we respond to many consultations as an organisation, too.

With the rise of AI-generated answers featuring at the top of internet search results, it would be easy to assume that the information you’re presented with is reliable and up to date.

It’s time for things to change #FightForOrdinary #ReformSEND bit.ly/FFOAction

Immunocompromised children aged six months and over in the UK will continue to be eligible for a Covid booster vaccine this autumn. Read more 👇

Measles cases are rising! 🚨 NHS is urging parents to check if children have had both doses of the MMR vaccine. It’s never too late to catch up – book now via your GP

The LGSCO has received a record 20,000+ complaints in 2024–25, the highest ever. Education & children’s services remain the biggest issue, followed by housing 📈 

📣 Views wanted on SEN units in mainstream schools in England 📣 The Department for Education wants parent carers’ views on SEN units/resource bases. Survey closes 13 Aug & takes 20 mins. 📝 Take the survey:

Only 1 day left to claim your 5 FREE CHANCES of winning up to £10,000 when you join the Contact Weekly Lottery! This special offer is to celebrate 5 incredible years since we launched the lottery! Join the fun for just £1 a week 👉 bit.ly/5-Bluesky

Too many disabled children are being turned away from holiday clubs, leaving parents without childcare or forced to take unpaid leave. It shouldn’t be this hard.  Read more 👇

A message from parent Lisa. "You’ve been made to feel like your hopes and your dreams for your family are ‘too much’ for far too long. You’re having to fight for things that everyone should expect. Now is the time to change that. (1/2) #FightForOrdinary bit.ly/FFOAction

The SEND system is failing a generation. Every child deserves support to thrive at school.  Ask your MP to act 🔗 https://f.mtr.cool/ibglzctkhj

Got questions about Post-16 transport? We've rounded up key answers from our recent Q&A to help you navigate what happens after age 16. Read more: https://f.mtr.cool/qwqjgzhgkv #CloseTheLoophole

It's hard to believe it’s been 5 incredible years since we launched our charity lottery! If you haven’t joined yet, now’s the perfect time! To celebrate this milestone, we’re giving all new players 5 FREE extra entries into their first draw. Sign up today 👉 bit.ly/5-Bluesky

New resources now available from our Rare Conditions Network! From school packs to transition tools and social media tips, there's lots to explore. Access the toolkit + join the network 👇

🌿 Join our FREE Woodland Workshops across Yorkshire this summer! 🌳 Fun forest activities, creative play & climate action for parents and kids.  Book now 👇 contact.org.uk/news-and-views/woodland-workshops-for-parents-and-children

Kids across the UK raised over £50k in our biggest ever DinoDay Challenge, more than double last year! From trike laps to acts of kindness, every activity helps support disabled families. Sign up now for 2026! 🦖💚 contact.org.uk/news-and-views/dinoday

Positive step for our #ChildTrustFunds campaign today. We met with Justice Minister Sarah Sackman & MoJ reps with Changemaker Andrew Turner. Encouraging discussion, now we push for action! contact.org.uk/help-for-fam...

We’re inviting families in England to send us their questions about post-16 school and college transport! 🚍 Read more and submit your questiosn here 👇

🚨 Government launches Best Start in Life Strategy with £1.5bn to boost early years support. We welcome plans to strengthen inclusion, but warn “school readiness” targets risk overlooking disabled children 🔗👇

🌡️ With temps set to hit 31°C, disabled children may face extra risks from the heat. We’ve summarised key guidance + tips for home 👇🔗