In a survey of services across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, theinstitute found a lack of well co-ordinated support for disabled parentsacross adult and children's services, health, social care, housing andthe non-statutory sector.
The support on offer is often crisis-driven, short-term and disjointed,and the current restructuring of adult and children's services isthreatening to extend gaps even further, the survey concluded.
The institute is now calling for local authorities to ensure parentingis a priority and has published guidance, Working Together to SupportDisabled Parents, on how to develop a local joint-working protocol totackle issues when they arise.
The institute's chief executive Julie Jones said: "As adult andchildren's services develop their new structures and ways of working,now is the time to put substantial joint working protocols into place.Agencies should ensure their responses address the needs of parents andchildren as a family and not as individuals in isolation."
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