Neurodivergent and disabled families, including those from underrepresented communities, have less access to healthcare services. They have poorer health and life expectancy as a result.

In this episode, we speak to Mary Mulvey Oates, Contact’s Manager for Early Years Participation and Insights, who co-led an 18-month research project to explore what can be done to improve access to healthcare for these communities.

We also speak to Donna Phipps, Chair of LivPaC (Liverpool Parents and Carers Forum) and a parent carer herself, who shares lived-experience tips for navigating appointments, preparing for hospital visits, and advocating for your child’s needs.

Key summary

•Why some families face greater barriers to healthcare access

•How co-produced research is helping shape better NHS services

•Practical advice for parent carers accessing healthcare for their child

•How healthcare professionals can make small, meaningful changes that improve equity and trust

If you’re a parent carer, healthcare professional, or anyone passionate about inclusive healthcare, this episode offers practical insights, powerful stories, and real solutions to help every family get the care they deserve.

Listen now to hear how compassion and collaboration can transform the healthcare experience for disabled and neurodivergent children and their families.

Read the full transcript here.

Resources and links

Contact’s information and advice for families with disabled children

Contact’s By Your Side project

Find your local Parent Carer Forum

Read more about the research project

About the host

Contact is a national charity that offers families with disabled children expert advice and a place to support each other – helping them thrive, access essential services, and campaign for a more inclusive society.

The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Has your child ever felt like they don’t fit in anywhere? Or like no-one understands what things feel like?

Maybe they feel like they’re the only person in the world who looks, moves or thinks like they do.

Cathy Reay, disabled writer, journalist, and single mum to two disabled children, wants your child to know that they are not alone. They belong in the world exactly as they are.

This is the message of Cathy’s new book, ‘How to be disabled and proud (or at least kinda sorta okay with it)’. Described as a “powerful call to action for both disabled and non-disabled children”, the book aims to encourage readers to advocate for a more accessible world and to inspire them to embrace their disabled identity. Written for children aged nine and up, it’s also an essential guide to growing up disabled. From navigating school life, finding disabled community and building confidence, to facing challenges like bullying and discrimination and learning how to value and celebrate yourself, just as you are.

In this episode, we're delighted to welcome Cathy to talk about her new book - and listen out at the end for some moments that made you proud of your disabled child.

Transcript: https://contact.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Podcast-episode-2-transcript.pdf

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're relaunching our podcast with something a little different to what we’ve done before.

In this rebooted series of our podcast, we’ll be featuring more interviews and guest contributions, and on the whole exploring the issues we know families care about in a little more depth.

Our first episode is all about helping your disabled child make the move to secondary school. We speak to Caroline Klage, brain injury solicitor and parent to three neurodiverse children, who shares her strategies and top tips for preparing for the move.

We also hear from Bridie from our helpline team, who explains what national offer day is in England and Wales and what options you have when you've been offered a school place.

Download a transcript of this podcast: https://contact.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Transcript-helping-your-disabled-child-move-onto-secondary-school.pdf

Host: Harriet Squirrel

Producers: Michele Cefai, RJ Dale, Tom Bobbin

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.