Parents as Allies

Some parents of Disabled children have struggled to achieve the rights of their Disabled child particularly when it comes to inclusive education.

It is important that parents of Disabled children / children labelled with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) (the term used by families and parents for the purposes of this toolkit) participate in advancing the right of their children to be included in mainstream education.

This training toolkit is designed to enable Disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) to engage with parents. The toolkit will help DPOs train parents, enabling them to understand the principles of inclusive education, the Social Model of Disability and other important values that are empowering for parents, their children and for young people.

Partnership work with parents will help to pass on this experience to DPOs. This toolkit will achieve that by connecting DPOs with parents and forming close relationships that will enhance supporting the inclusive education rights of children and young people. We believe DPOs should become hubs of campaigning, innovation and action for Disabled children/young people with parents acting as allies to their children and young people. This also helps to ensure the legacy of the work of DPOs through the involvement of Disabled young people.

Parents as Allies toolkit 2019