EASPD has submitted a contribution to inform an upcoming report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities. The report, which will be presented at the UN General Assembly on 9 September 2025, aims to promote inclusive family policies and practices that uphold the rights of children with disabilities, while addressing the specific needs of their caregivers and family members. To inform this work, the Special Rapporteur launched a call for input on the care and support that children with disabilities and their families receive. This initiative places particular emphasis on the gendered dimensions of informal caregiving and aims to shed light on the challenges and barriers families, especially mothers, face in ensuring appropriate care and support, but also on themselves receiving the appropriate support to balance their work-life-caregiver balance.

EASPD’s contribution focuses on the difficulties experienced by families of children with disabilities, the critical role of Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) services, and the importance of building strong national support systems. Drawing on our extensive experience, gathered through European projects, and policy actions, we shared good practices from across Europe, as well as concrete recommendations for the establishment of national ECI systems. The submissions to the Special Rapporteur will be published on their official webpage alongside the report.

You can read our contribution on our website here.