Half of all disabled children have not seen a friend online or in person during lockdown

HALF of all disabled children have not seen a friend online or in person during lockdown. Many are even said to be losing the ability to socialise while they are cut off by Covid-19 restrictions. And while 49 per cent of disabled children have not seen pals, research shows four-fifths of parents are stressed enough […]

HALF of all disabled children have not seen a friend online or in person during lockdown.

Many are even said to be losing the ability to socialise while they are cut off by Covid-19 restrictions.

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Half of all disabled children have not seen friends during lockdown[/caption]

And while 49 per cent of disabled children have not seen pals, research shows four-fifths of parents are stressed enough to qualify for NHS help.

The figures are from a Disabled Children’s Partnership poll of more than 500 parents.

Vice-chairman Richard Kramer said: “Many disabled children and their families have felt overlooked during the pandemic, cut off from friends and their support networks..

“No child should miss out on opportunities to socialise, on education and therapies, and feel lonely and experience mental health issues as a result of this pandemic.”

The survey found disabled children were losing confidence to interact with even those closest to them.

Now the partnership is calling for help for exhausted families as we leave lockdown. Mr Kramer added: “We want to see an ambitious and funded Covid recovery plan for disabled children, covering education, health and well-being.”

The Sun is campaigning to support disabled children’s families through our Give It Back campaign, demanding the Government reinstates £434million of cut funding.

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