A high-profile autism campaigner is demanding more money for social care so parents don’t have to worry about what happens to their children when they are no longer around.
Anna Kennedy has started a petition urging the UK Government to make social care a higher priority so families have peace of mind.
Anna Kennedy wants a more certain future for sons Patrick and Angelo (right)
Kennedy, 60, said she has been “overwhelmed” by support from families.
Sleepless nights
She said the fear of what happens after the parents have gone causes “many sleepless nights”.
Kennedy, from London, has two autistic sons. They are Angelo, 28, and Patrick, 31.
The campaigner told ITV News the fear of falling ill with Covid-19 has left many parents reflecting on how their children would cope without them.
Charity Sense suggests there are 1.7 million disabled adults in the UK cared for by family or friends.
7,000 signatures
Kennedy’s petition on change.org has already attracted nearly 7,000 signatures.
Many of those signing appeared to be parents of disabled children with the same fears as Kennedy.
Ana Ramos wrote of how she is a mum to a son with autism and complex needs.
She told of how she “worries about who will look after him when I’m not around anymore”.
Terry McElligott wrote of how there needs to be “contingency plans in place for when we are no longer around”.
£1.4 billion for adult social care
The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) said it had given £1.4 billion in “specific funding for adult social care” during the pandemic.
A spokesperson added that a new Health and Care Bill white paper will create a system “fit for the future”.
You can view the petition here: www.change.org/p/helen-whately-minister-for-socialcare-who-will-look-after-my-sons-when-i-am-no-longer-around?recruiter=11956774&recruited_by_id=8901fd00-cc4a-012f-1d5a-40401bfb750c&use_react=false
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Published: 5 March 2021
