| |
One Parent Families secures grant to develop services for families living with a disability
|
|
| |
21/10/04 One Parent Families is delighted to have secured a grant of £131,00 from the Parenting Fund in order to develop our services for single parents who have a child or children with disabilities.
Initially we plan to recruit a worker dedicated entirely to disability issues who will work in collaboration with the specialist disability charity Contact a Family and with single parent charity Gingerbread.
The Parenting Fund is a major new investment in parenting support, distributed entirely through the voluntary sector. With the new money One Parent Families plans to review how we can improve and develop our services to meet the needs of one-parent families caring for a child with a disability, provide them with a stronger voice, and share skills and resources with other voluntary organisations.
One of our key ambitions is to develop a parents' network to enable parents with disabled children to share experiences and support each other.
As reported in the current edition of our magazine Together, almost three in ten lone parents (29%) has a sick or disabled child and for many of these parents the pressure is intense. Taking up a job can be extremely difficult since childcare for children with disabilities is scarce, yet for those at home full time caring for a disabled child, the sense of isolation can be acute. We're backing single parents with a disabled child so that they can provide the best opportunities and environment for their children - and a stable and secure family life - while making the most of their own potential.
One Parent Families is one of 137 voluntary organisations from all over the country which were awarded grants - to a total of £16 million. One in five applications to the fund was successful and money went to organisations working both at a national and at a local level. The grants ranged from £335,975 for Winston's Wish to support bereaved children and young people after a family death, to £70, 754 for East Lancashire Deaf Society to develop its services for families with deaf parents or children. As well as targeting support to organisations that work with parents who face particular challenges, the fund is directing grants to improve the support available to parents across England at a strategic level.
One Parent Families Chief Executive Nicola Simpson says: " The Government is right to commit significant funds to parenting support and we are very pleased indeed to receive this grant for developing our services for single parents with a disabled child. Raising a child single-handedly is tough at times but it's especially difficult if you're coping with a child's disability as well. Thanks to this grant we will be developing a seamless service, providing practical support and accurate, independent information to any single parent raising a disabled child. "
|
...Back to previous page
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
