New partnership campaign with McCain aims to promote more inclusive get togethers
Presenter and comedian Alex Brooker launches new half term campaign and a limited edition, inclusively designed scoop bowl give-away.
Research launched as part of our newest partnership campaign with McCain, reports that only 12% of families raising disabled or seriously ill children say they can take part in the social activities they’d like to and 83% are left feeling sad, left out and frustrated.
Two thirds of people in the UK (64%) say they have little, or no, understanding of the day-to-day life of families raising disabled children. And 77% say they rarely interact with anyone disabled. Over half (57%) of the general public say they are afraid of saying the wrong thing.
Think inclusive this half-term
This half-term, many families raising a disabled or seriously ill child are likely to miss out on social occasions. This includes playdates and meals at friends’ houses. Three quarters of parents and carers with a disabled child said they feel friends and family avoid inviting their child along to social occasions because they don’t know how to act around them. And 67% said they had experienced friends and family being embarrassed to ask about adaptations their child needed to attend an event.
A third of respondents (31%) were parents, and three in 10 have children who have a disabled friend. Of these,74% said they would feel confident hosting a disabled child at their home for a playdate or an event. And 23% said they would be nervous having them over for dinner. With 38% thinking they’re not equipped to host a mealtime. Nearly half (48%) said they would like to boost their own confidence around spending time with disabled people.
Families supported by Family Fund give their advice on how to make get-togethers more inclusive.
Limited edition giveaway
As part of the launch on Monday 23 October 2023, McCain and Family Fund created 2,500, limited edition, inclusively designed scoop bowls. This marked our partnership and helped to promote inclusive mealtimes, fronted by comedian Alex Brooker. The bowls featured a playful design, anti-slip suction base and a raised, curved side to help children eat independently, wherever, and however, they’re having meals.
“This bowl is something I wished I had growing up; it’s a great design and I think it will really help children feel more independent at mealtimes and give parents confidence to socialize more at social occasions.”
Alex Brooker – Presenter and comedian
The scoop bowls proved very popular and all had been ordered from the McCain website on the campaign launch day. Thank you to everyone for your interest in the scoop bowls.
Find out more on the McCain websiteOur partnership with McCain
McCain has an ongoing partnership with Family Fund. Supporting us to provide essential grants and services to families raising a disabled or seriously ill child, across the UK. With times even tougher than ever, McCain has doubled their donation this year to offer extra support.
Read more about the McCain and Family Fund partnershipAbout the research
Two separate research polls were conducted:
McCain commissioned a nationally representative survey of 2,000 UK adults from 5 to 10 October 2023, conducted by OnePoll.
Family Fund research surveyed 1,202 families raising disabled or seriously ill children from 19 to 29 September 2023. A selection of parents/carers who had their most recent grant from Family Fund 9 to 12 months ago, living in all the nations of the UK.