HELP FOR PARENTS
Being a parent with a disability can be both rewarding and challenging. Many children naturally step into a caring role, helping with small tasks at home or supporting you when you’re not feeling your best. This can bring families closer, but it can also feel worrying for both parents and children.
This page is here to give you practical advice, friendly guidance, and useful resources, whether you are a parent, or a professional working with children in caring roles.
Talking to Your Child
Children notice more than we sometimes realise. Being open, age-appropriate, and honest helps them feel secure and
reduces anxiety.
● Acknowledge their role: Let them know you appreciate their help without making them feel responsible for everything.
● Use simple language: Explain your condition or difficulties in words they understand. For example, “Mum’s legs get very tired, so I need my wheelchair to help me.”
● Encourage feelings: Ask how they feel about helping and reassure them that it’s okay to talk about worries.
● Balance the roles: Remind them they are still a child first, and it’s not their job to carry adult responsibilities.
● What to say if they worry:
○ “Thank you for helping me, but it’s not your job to fix everything.”
○ “It’s normal to sometimes feel sad, worried, or cross, it doesn’t mean you don’t love me.”
○ “There are other people who can help us too.”
Activities to Support Children
Children benefit from ways to explore and express their feelings. Here are a few activity ideas:
● Feelings chart or diary: Let them mark how they feel each day with colours, drawings, or stickers.
● Worry clouds: A safe place to write or draw worries, which can then be shared and talked about together.
● Kindness jar: Add notes about kind things they’ve done or moments that made them smile.
● Relax together: Read stories, listen to music, or go for short walks/wheelchair rolls to create positive shared time.
👉 I’ve created a couple of downloadable activities for you:
● [Feelings Wheel for Children] (PDF download)
● [Worry clouds Template] (PDF download)
Parents’ Feelings
It’s normal to feel a mix of emotions as a parent with a disability. Many parents describe:
● Embarrassment about needing help.
● Fear of being judged by schools, professionals, or even family members.
● Worry about children being “labelled” as carers.
● Relief when the right support is finally in place.
Reaching out doesn’t mean you’re failing as a parent. It means you’re making sure your child has the support they deserve too.
Think of it this way:
● When you bring in help, you’re protecting your child’s wellbeing, making sure they don’t carry more responsibility than they should.
● Accepting support allows you to focus on the moments that matter. Sharing stories, laughing together, being present as their parents.
● Children also learn by watching you. When they see you ask for and accept help, they learn it’s okay to lean on others too.
Support can come from:
● Young Carers services - helping your child connect with others in similar situations.
● Early Help - local council support for families before things reach crisis point.
● Adult Social Services - assessments for your own support needs.
● Occupational Therapists (OTs) - to help adapt your home and
daily life.
● External carers - to ease pressure on both you and your child.
Useful Charities and Organisations
Here are some organisations that can help:
