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Discrimination in Childcare

Hi there,
I am new here.
My daughter is born blind and suffers from epilepsy.
Among all the difficulties we have been through I find it the hardest to cope with the fact that because she needs one on one support, she cant access any private nurseries, childminders, or after school clubs.
I believe this is illegal as Equality Act 2008 states that every learning Centre has to provide 'reasonable adjustments' to accommodate all children. Children who need other things like a wheelchair ramp or other kinds of help are entitled to it. Why is it not the same when it comes to a one on one support worker?
I am new here.
My daughter is born blind and suffers from epilepsy.
Among all the difficulties we have been through I find it the hardest to cope with the fact that because she needs one on one support, she cant access any private nurseries, childminders, or after school clubs.
I believe this is illegal as Equality Act 2008 states that every learning Centre has to provide 'reasonable adjustments' to accommodate all children. Children who need other things like a wheelchair ramp or other kinds of help are entitled to it. Why is it not the same when it comes to a one on one support worker?
Replies
Scope
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Please do have a look around the community and let me know if there is anything else I can do to help!
Scope
Tell us what you think?
Complete our feedback form to help us to improve your community.
I'm sorry to hear the problems that you have been having with finding help for your daughter.
Have you applied for an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP)? This is a formal document should your daughter be given one and is where any help or therapies that your daughter needs is statemented. Once your daughter has one of these, anything written within the document has to be adhered to by your local council by law. It is in this document that 1:1 support would be written.
Your daughter would have to get an EHCP assessment to see if she is eligible for one and usually school are a big help in this, but you can self-refer through your council.
Below is a link that you may find useful with information on EHCPs, what they are and how to ask for an assessment.
https://www.ipsea.org.uk/pages/category/education-health-and-care-plans
Hope this helps
Beverley
Parent Advisor
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My daughter has this already.
I actually think she has more support than most other children with special needs.
What I want is for all children to get access to the same childcare as other children.
Why can't they just get the same treatment as others?
If we need any childcare during the holidays, we need to apply long before the holidays as our children cant get into the same settings as others. And we need to be very grateful is by any chance, we are able to get any childcare.
Even though we pay the same or more than parents with normal children.
THAT IS NOT FAIR!
I want my child to be able to socialise with other children just like other children.
And I want to be able to have a normal job and work in the holidays and weekends. You can't do that if you are unable to get childcare when you need it.
It is very unfair that parents of disabled children have to pay more and yet it is so much more difficult.
Have you looked on the IPSEA site I gave you above to see if they have any advice on complaints procedures for accessing after school clubs and childcare? It may be worth looking at.
Beverley
Parent Advisor
Navigate
im currently blogging my experience looking for special schools as my daughters nursery has asked us to find alternative arrangements because they can’t accommodate to her anymore. It’s quite frustrating I do get it. Check out your local council and see what they offer.