Government urged to change ‘offensive’ and ‘outdated’ language in disabled children’s law
‘Offensive’ language used in disabled children’s law
- The Law Commission has urged the government to change "offensive" language, such as "handicapped", found in disabled children’s social care law in England.
- A report by the commission highlighted that the current system creates a "postcode lottery" for support, with eligibility for services varying unfairly between local authorities.
- Recommendations include establishing a single duty to meet the social care needs of disabled children and implementing national eligibility criteria for consistent provision.
- The proposed reforms aim to create a simpler, fairer, and more accessible framework, empowering children with direct rights to request assessments and access independent advocacy.
- Charities have called for urgent government action to adopt these recommendations, with the Department for Education stating it will carefully consider the findings.