My parents were foster carers. In 1976 when I was 4, a baby boy named Paul was placed with us. I cannot remember a time before Paul and I grew up together as brothers. Paul has severe learning disabilities and autism. He communicates through rote behavior & echolalia learnt through his lifetime. In the ‘moment’ … Continued
After the sudden death of a mother, the elderly father reluctantly turned to his son and asked if carers would possibly help with his daughter. A lady who lives with a learning disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, anxiety and mobility issues. His son had spent the past 30 years working within Adult Social Care, to understand … Continued
Living through the pandemic coronacoaster has been even more challenging for those of us who have been shielding to protect clinically vulnerable siblings. My brother Dan has Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities due to a rare genetic condition called ATRX. Our younger brother Sam who had the same condition passed away suddenly from sepsis … Continued
Where am I? Almost 2 years on – that is a good question and it feels like it is very difficult to answer. I really want to write this update and tell a story of everything being great – that I am back to doing the things I love. The reality is that I feel … Continued
I struggle to think about the last 6 months of life as a sibling in Covid times, such a kaleidoscope of thoughts, feelings and experiences. Some days I feel like time is flying by, other days are long and difficult and loneliness really hits hard. The loneliness of the last 6 months has been really … Continued
We are Esther and Judith. We’re sisters to our brother, Jonathan, who is autistic and has a learning disability. He has a weekly routine of activities and supported training placements. In March, the café he works at closed, and the rest of his activities, including all social and sporting groups, were cancelled. This left Jonathan … Continued
My brother is in his 50s and lives semi-independently with the help of myself and carers. Before coronavirus was an issue, he spent his week doing activities at a local centre and enjoyed drumming and ballroom dancing lessons. My brother has anxiety and traits of autism, so these activities were great for helping him to … Continued
I am a sibling of a man with learning disabilities. I’m also a single mum and an NHS worker. My brother moved in with my dad as an emergency placement in December due to abuse from his carers in his supported housing. It got to a point where my brother was so scared of the … Continued
The impact of Covid has been huge. Probably not in such an obvious way as other people, but in ways that have had a cumulative effect on my disabled sister, myself and our parents. Our father is on the extremely vulnerable list, both parents are over-70, and my sister needs to shield for her own … Continued
Thinking about the impact of Covid on me and my family… I don’t really know where to start. I am coping and we are coping because we have to. I feel at the minute that there will be a cost to this coping and I am worried about what this means for the future – … Continued