Thousands of disabled children to benefit from innovative Digital Inclusion Programme
The Digital Services Consortium (DSC) is proud to announce the launch of a groundbreaking initiative that will improve the digital skills, confidence, and access to digital services for thousands of children with disability and long-term illness and their families.
The new Driving Digital Inclusion Programme will provide over 20,000 participants with access to digital devices, skills training, and ongoing support to help them navigate the digital world with confidence and safety. The DSC is an alliance of twelve children’s charities co-chaired by Kids and Sense.
The member charities are: Ambitious about Autism, The Children’s Trust, Contact, Dingley’s Promise, Family Fund, Kids, National Deaf Children’s Society, Rainbow Trust, Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity, Sense, WellChild and Whizz Kidz.
Through the two-year programme, each of the twelve charities will deliver its own bespoke programme of digital support, whilst collectively meeting a growing need and preference for online and hybrid support. By combining services, devices and data, the programme will address a stark inequality of access and ensure the evolution of digital services is user-led.
The idea for the initiative was born out of the Covid pandemic, when Kids commissioned research with the Disabled Children’s Partnership to better understand the experiences of digitally disadvantaged and disabled children, young people and their families. The Locked Out report concluded that done well, digital access can be a real lifeline – enabling access to friendships and vital services including therapies, information, advice and mediation. It has power to make the most difference to the groups these charities support, who are more likely to experience isolation and barriers to in-person services.
Katie Ghose, Chair of DSC and Chief Executive of Kids, said: “As a sector, we are stronger together. Having worked in partnership to build evidence of the experiences of those we supported throughout the pandemic, we were able to prove the potential impact of a deeper collaboration on this important issue - not only could we change thousands of lives, but also, the future of digital service delivery design, and the funding landscape.
“Digital access is a right not a luxury. We are determined to work with young people and their families to bring down the barriers and create safe, practical and fulfilling online opportunities for all.”
Thanks to National Lottery players, the DSC has received over £1.5 million over two years from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK. The DSC has also received a grant of £400,000 from BBC Children in Need for two years to provide digital support for disabled or seriously ill children and young people and their family members across the UK. Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone have generously donated devices and data through the Good Things Foundation National Databank and Device Bank which will help address affordability barriers.
This funding will enhance digital skills, confidence and access for children with disabilities, serious illnesses, and their families, and is a significant step towards ensuring that disabled children, young people, and families are not left behind in an increasingly digital world.
For more information, please contact Liz Jones, Programme Director, at dsc@kids.org.uk.
