THE AMENDMENT:
REMOVING BARRIERS FOR PARENTS
The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is designed to improve outcomes for children.
But when a child becomes seriously ill, those outcomes are inseparable from the wellbeing of their parents.
This amendment asks a simple but vital question:
WHAT BARRIERS DO PARENTS FACE WHEN TRYING TO CARE FOR A SERIOUSLY ILL CHILD AND HOW CAN GOVERNMENT REMOVE THEM?
WHY IS THIS AMENDMENT NEEDED?
When a child is diagnosed with a serious illness, parents face immediate and overwhelming obstacles, including:
A lack of mental-health support from the point of diagnosis
No structured support for siblings, despite clear evidence of harm
Financial pressure that forces parents to choose between work and being at their child’s bedside
Employment systems that do not reflect the reality of becoming an overnight carer
Education, welfare and health services that operate in silos rather than supporting the family as a whole
THESE BARRIERS DO NOT JUST AFFECT PARENTS. THEY DIRECTLY AFFECT A CHILD’S TREATMENT, RECOVERY, EDUCATION AND LONG-TERM WELLBEING.
WHAT DOES THE AMENDMENT DO?
The amendment calls on the Government to review and report to Parliament on the barriers faced by parents caring for a seriously ill child, including:
How parents’ mental health is affected in the early weeks and months after diagnosis
The impact on siblings and family stability
How employment, welfare, health and education systems interact and where they fail families
What changes are needed to ensure parents are supported, not pushed out of work or into crisis
IT DOES NOT CREATE NEW DUTIES IMMEDIATELY. INSTEAD, IT ENSURES THE PROBLEM IS PROPERLY EXAMINED, EVIDENCED AND DEBATED A CRITICAL STEP TOWARDS LASTING CHANGE.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Research shows that parents of seriously ill children face significantly higher risks of poor mental and physical health. Siblings are more likely to experience emotional and educational difficulties.
Families under financial strain are pulled away from the bedside when their child needs them most.
SUPPORTING PARENTS IS NOT SEPARATE FROM SUPPORTING CHILDREN. IT IS ESSENTIAL TO IT.
WHAT WE ARE CALLING FOR
This amendment is part of the wider Hugh’s Law campaign, which seeks to ensure that when a child becomes seriously ill, families are treated as a unit with:
Early mental-health support for parents
Recognition and support for siblings
Employment protection and financial security
Systems that work together, not against families
REMOVING BARRIERS FOR PARENTS MEANS BETTER OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN.
ADD YOUR NAME
Make mental health support standard for parents of seriously ill children. We want this support made a standard part of every child’s care.
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