Supporting Siblings of Disabled Children

Being a Young Carer can have an impact on children. It can be helpful to let your child’s school know if they are struggling or taking on caring tasks, so the school can put the right support in place.

Many schools have dedicated staff who support young carers, giving your child someone they can trust and talk to. This support might include lunchtime clubs, peer groups, or even free breakfast in some cases. Schools may also offer flexible homework arrangements, allow pupils to phone home during lunch, or provide additional pastoral support when needed.

Carers Trust -Supporting Young Carers in Schools: A Step-by-step Guide for Leaders, Teachers.

Being a Young Carer can have an impact on children. It can be helpful to let your child’s school know if they are struggling or taking on caring tasks, so the school can put the right support in place.

Many schools have dedicated staff who support young carers, giving your child someone they can trust and talk to. This support might include lunchtime clubs, peer groups, or even free breakfast in some cases. Schools may also offer flexible homework arrangements, allow pupils to phone home during lunch, or provide additional pastoral support when needed.

Carers Trust -Supporting Young Carers in Schools: A Step-by-step Guide for Leaders, Teachers.

Think of your family as a team all pulling together to help each other. To help your children to feel part of your team, talk openly with your children about their sibling’s disability and needs. This can help them feel more confident, reduce worry, and strengthen family relationships. When talking about differences between them and their sibling, remember the similarities as well.

The Charity Sibs has some advice that might help:

Talking to your sibling child about disability

For younger children, there are lots of books that can help you explain your disabled child needs:

Books for Siblings of Disabled Children

One of the things that siblings often worry about is bringing friends home. This can be because they are not sure how to talk about their disabled brother or sister’s disability and explain it to other people. Try to help them come up with a simple way to explain how their family might be a bit different to their friends.

Sibs has simple explanations of disabilities

Think of your family as a team all pulling together to help each other. To help your children to feel part of your team, talk openly with your children about their sibling’s disability and needs. This can help them feel more confident, reduce worry, and strengthen family relationships. When talking about differences between them and their sibling, remember the similarities as well.

The Charity Sibs has some advice that might help:

Talking to your sibling child about disability

For younger children, there are lots of books that can help you explain your disabled child needs:

Books for Siblings of Disabled Children

One of the things that siblings often worry about is bringing friends home. This can be because they are not sure how to talk about their disabled brother or sister’s disability and explain it to other people. Try to help them come up with a simple way to explain how their family might be a bit different to their friends.

Sibs has simple explanations of disabilities

It can be helpful for parents to join parent support groups to get support from other parents. Creating a support network for you can help you develop one for your child as well. Meeting other families with disabled children helps to normalise disability as part of family life.

Support groups can give you the space to share, learn, and feel reassured. When you are supported, you are better placed to support your child.

Hampshire Parent and Carer Network - Find a Support Group Near You

Siblings can find it hard to make friends or relate to other children who are not Young Carers. To help them make friends and to meet other young people like them, it can be helpful to find your local Young Carer’s project where your child can young person can meet other children who are Young Carer's like them.

Helping siblings build their own social life can help them get breaks from caring and support their emotional health.

Further advice on building support networks for your sibling child

It can be helpful for parents to join parent support groups to get support from other parents. Creating a support network for you can help you develop one for your child as well. Meeting other families with disabled children helps to normalise disability as part of family life.

Support groups can give you the space to share, learn, and feel reassured. When you are supported, you are better placed to support your child.

Hampshire Parent and Carer Network - Find a Support Group Near You

Siblings can find it hard to make friends or relate to other children who are not Young Carers. To help them make friends and to meet other young people like them, it can be helpful to find your local Young Carer’s project where your child can young person can meet other children who are Young Carer's like them.

Helping siblings build their own social life can help them get breaks from caring and support their emotional health.

Further advice on building support networks for your sibling child

Try to explore options for short‑term care for your disabled child so you can attend your other children’s important events, such as school performances or sports days. This can feel challenging, but as you build and strengthen your support network, you may find people who are willing and able to look after your disabled child for short periods. Having this support can make it easier for you to be present for their siblings when it matters most to them.

Advice on building a support network

Try to explore options for short‑term care for your disabled child so you can attend your other children’s important events, such as school performances or sports days. This can feel challenging, but as you build and strengthen your support network, you may find people who are willing and able to look after your disabled child for short periods. Having this support can make it easier for you to be present for their siblings when it matters most to them.

Advice on building a support network

Have time together as a family

Try to get some family time by planning activities everyone can enjoy.

Scope's guide to finding accessible days out

The Buddy Scheme can help you either get sometime alone with your disabled child's sibling or provide an extra pair of hands on days out with your disabled child.

Give siblings time with you alone

If you can, set aside special one-to-one time with each sibling, letting them choose the activity.

Search for activities for your disabled child to do to let you have some time to spend with their siblings.

Have time together as a family

Try to get some family time by planning activities everyone can enjoy.

Scope's guide to finding accessible days out

The Buddy Scheme can help you either get sometime alone with your disabled child's sibling or provide an extra pair of hands on days out with your disabled child.

Give siblings time with you alone

If you can, set aside special one-to-one time with each sibling, letting them choose the activity.

Search for activities for your disabled child to do to let you have some time to spend with their siblings.

Siblings of children with additional needs often need emotional support. Keep an eye out for how siblings are feeling and use moments of strong emotions for gentle conversations.

Young Carers often report feeling guilty that they can do things that their disabled sibling can't. Try to acknowledge difficult feelings, including guilt, even if you don't understand them.

Supporting your sibling child with their feelings - Sibs

Mindfulness can help children and young people manage stress and improve their emotional wellbeing. Childline, Calm Zone is a great place for them to learn mindfulness.

Childline Calm zone

If you are worried your child is struggling with their mental health, seek outside support such as counselling if needed.

Find organisations providing counselling

Siblings of children with additional needs often need emotional support. Keep an eye out for how siblings are feeling and use moments of strong emotions for gentle conversations.

Young Carers often report feeling guilty that they can do things that their disabled sibling can't. Try to acknowledge difficult feelings, including guilt, even if you don't understand them.

Supporting your sibling child with their feelings - Sibs

Mindfulness can help children and young people manage stress and improve their emotional wellbeing. Childline, Calm Zone is a great place for them to learn mindfulness.

Childline Calm zone

If you are worried your child is struggling with their mental health, seek outside support such as counselling if needed.

Find organisations providing counselling

The Children’s Society offers a range of support to young carers, including the Young Carers Festival, understanding their rights, supporting around their wellbeing and mental health.

The Children's Society: Information & Advice For Young People

Carers Trust advocate for all unpaid carers. Their website provides a range of information about carers, news and information.

Carers Trust: Young Carers - Help & Support

Mytime Young Carers is a UK based charity which supports young carers. They provide:

Opportunities to unwind, experience new things and meet other young carers on activity days
An online youth group where young people can come together with other young carers
Support for schools
An Employability Programme to help young carers find your way into further education, training or work

MYTIME: How We Support Young Carers

Sibs offer a range of information and support to young carers and their families and Young Carers can contact an adviser to ask questions.

Sibs website

Contact offers information, advice and support for parent carers and have a page on supporting siblings.

Contact - Supporting siblings

RiseUK has ideas and resources for supporting the development and emotional wellbeing of children.

RiseUK - resources