Families caring for children with disabilities are being hardest hit by rising prices, a charity has warned.
The Chronicle's Sunshine Fund says it costs three times more to raise a child with disabilities than it does to raise an able-bodied child and you are more likely to experience poverty as a family with a disabled member. On top of this, the North East has the highest number of children registered as disabled compared to anywhere else in the UK.
The Sunshine Fund provides essential specialist and adapted equipment for children with disabilities and terminal illnesses that often costs thousands of pounds. This can range from powered wheelchairs and specialist beds to car seats and communication equipment.
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This equipment is not available through the NHS or social services, so more and more families are turning to the charity for help as the costs of living rise. The group has been receiving calls from people in "desperate situations worrying about bills".
Bev Wright, the charity's families coordinator, said: "We have all been impacted by rising costs but none more so than families caring for children with disabilities and complex needs.
"We already know it costs three times more to raise a child with disabilities than it does to raise an able-bodied child and that parents caring for disabled children face multiple barriers to work, making finances even tighter in these households.
"With so many already facing the impossible decision of food or heating, many of our families do not even have this choice as they struggle to maintain a consistent environment for their vulnerable child. Parents and carers of children who are oxygen dependant, who use SATs monitors or even powered wheelchairs cannot simply switch the electricity off.
"Our Families Helpline was set up to provide support and information to families regarding specialist equipment and the services that we provide as a small charity. However, in recent months we have received calls from families in desperate situations worrying about bills and how they are going to manage in the future."
Siobhan Sargeant, charity director, added: "Children in the North East are more likely to go without a range of basics than children in any other part of the country and this has been exuberated by the Covid-19 pandemic, making families' financial situations even more dire.
"In 2021, we conducted a families survey with parents and carers who have utilised the support services The Chronicle's Sunshine Fund offers and the results were truly staggering. Over 90% of those surveyed stated that they have experienced a negative impact on their own mental health during the pandemic.
"Some described the spiralling costs they face when caring for a disabled child as hopeless and out of control. Our families highlighted that financial worries are now more prominent than ever before with many feeling they do not know where to turn of advice or guidance."
The charity is urging members of the public to support its work to help struggling families. You can make a one-off donation by visiting the website here. Or you can text SUNSHINE2 to 70085 and make a one-off donation of £2 today.
