03-25-2006, 01:13 AM
Autism campaigners from the North West will travel to Westminster next week to join forces with their Welsh counterparts, it emerged today.
The move comes as a Londonderry mother with an autistic son today spoke out against the never-ending fight facing single parents in the city.
Danielle Cowan is demanding more recognition be given to lone parents who struggle with money and health worries on a daily basis.
She made the call as it emerged that Northern Ireland autism charity PAPA will forge an historic link with Autism Cymru next week to strengthen their campaigning power.
Ms Cowan also highlighted the findings of a Gingerbread report launched this week which found that single parents in the Derry area suffer isolation, stress and poverty.
These feelings are often compounded when a child has disabilities, like Ms Cowan's 18-year-old son Nathan.
The mother-of-five was forced to give up a 20-year career and become reliant on benefits when she could not find any suitable respite care for Nathan, who has cerebral palsy as well as autism.
Danielle said: "I went through a divorce so for the last 10 years I have been on my own.
"I suffered from stress and anxiety - I still do - so initially I took a year's career break to see if there was a facility where I could get Nathan some respite care when I went back to my job. But there was nothing so I had to leave.
"That was very difficulty because I became dependent on benefits so the poverty worry came in that way. I was really struggling with finances and sometimes I had to depend on the social fund for items for Nathan.
"It shouldn't be so difficult. You have to keep fighting and fighting.
"I want to make people aware of the difficulties we face. I want to make people aware of how isolated parents caring for disabled children feel and change attitudes so we are not judged."
From belfasttelegraph.co.uk
The move comes as a Londonderry mother with an autistic son today spoke out against the never-ending fight facing single parents in the city.
Danielle Cowan is demanding more recognition be given to lone parents who struggle with money and health worries on a daily basis.
She made the call as it emerged that Northern Ireland autism charity PAPA will forge an historic link with Autism Cymru next week to strengthen their campaigning power.
Ms Cowan also highlighted the findings of a Gingerbread report launched this week which found that single parents in the Derry area suffer isolation, stress and poverty.
These feelings are often compounded when a child has disabilities, like Ms Cowan's 18-year-old son Nathan.
The mother-of-five was forced to give up a 20-year career and become reliant on benefits when she could not find any suitable respite care for Nathan, who has cerebral palsy as well as autism.
Danielle said: "I went through a divorce so for the last 10 years I have been on my own.
"I suffered from stress and anxiety - I still do - so initially I took a year's career break to see if there was a facility where I could get Nathan some respite care when I went back to my job. But there was nothing so I had to leave.
"That was very difficulty because I became dependent on benefits so the poverty worry came in that way. I was really struggling with finances and sometimes I had to depend on the social fund for items for Nathan.
"It shouldn't be so difficult. You have to keep fighting and fighting.
"I want to make people aware of the difficulties we face. I want to make people aware of how isolated parents caring for disabled children feel and change attitudes so we are not judged."
From belfasttelegraph.co.uk