Listening to parents of children with disabilities and specialeducational needs was carried out by the Daycare Trust for the LondonDevelopment Agency (LDA). Researchers collected 64 questionnaires andheld interviews and focus groups of London families with disabledchildren under 18 from November 2006 to March 2007.
They found that words frequently used by parents in regard to findingand accessing childcare were 'struggle', 'battle', 'push', and'fight'.
One mother of an eight-year-old with Asperger Syndrome said, 'Every oneof us has to fight for ourselves, don't we ... and you never getanything unless you push for yourself.'
Cost remained the main barrier for parents, while more than half thequestionnaire respondents said they did not use any childcare. Parentsof autistic children had a particularly low take-up, with four out offive parents in the focus groups using no childcare. Availability ofappropriate places and good experiences with providers also variedwidely.
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