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The JC Letters Page, 10rd May 2019

Ruth Hilton, Baruch Tenembaum, Lewis Herlitz, Stephen Miller, Bonita Posen and John Morrissey share their views with JC readers

May 9, 2019 09:40
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4 min read

Disabled siblings

I agree with the point made by Andy Kelmanson, interviewed in the article about adults with disabled siblings (JC, April 26). 


All too frequently, the needs of other children in the family are at best considered less important and, more commonly, ignored.  In many families, the able children are expected to be involved in the caring duties for their siblings. There is a real need for support for those adults who were raised with disabled siblings but, even more so, it is vital that we recognise the need for support for those siblings while they are still children. 


Respite facilities for the disabled sibling to give parents the time to focus on their other children, targeted youth clubs and activities for the able children to meet others in similar situations, counselling and other talking therapies should all be freely available and easily accessed by families with a disabled child.


Which agency in the Jewish community is prepared to step up to this challenge?