Episode 8: Raising a child with disabilities

Dan White is an incredibly passionate and well-known disability and inclusion campaigner. Dan's teenage daughter, Emily, lives with a few different disabilities and needs constant care.

In this episode of DadPodUK, Dan tells me how the family fits Emily's care into the daily routine. He explains how isolated the family is and how little formal support they receive, issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In a graphic demonstration of the challenges Dan's family faces, his wife had just had surgery on her back following a very painful injury she received 16 months previously, an injury caused by having to lift lift and carry Emily. 

Dan, who is also the creator of the Department of Ability comics, is very candid about the impact these stresses and strains on his mental health. He talks of a mental health "crisis" among caregivers and families like his own. 

Even so, Dan talks with humour and has amazing things to say about being a dad. Prepare to have you preconceptions challenged!