ARU Final Report

Full Report – May 2021 15 PIP benefits which make it a lot easier to support myself and my partner as we are sharing the cost of living together. I haven’t been able to spend anything on socialising as we have had to stay in a lot but we did go on holiday to see my family down South in 2020 when the lockdown changed and I was really happy to be able to do that without asking for help. I find it much better now my money is being managed by XXX. If I do want to buy something I have a discussion with my Social Worker first to see if I really need it. I find this helps me to stop buying stuff impulsively, that I don’t really need. I am good with my money now, I pay all my bills then what is left I can spend on myself. I am quite good with money and I have saved a bit during the pandemic. Young people with disabilities therefore described a plethora of financial situations and although many did not worry about their finances as they had support from their local council or a family member, lack of support around budgeting and overspending meant that some young people were: Pretty much always worrying about money. 4.1.3 Education and training Most youngpeoplewith disabilitieswho participated in our research were in school, college, university, or attending training before Covid-19: I went to college. College was really good actually. I was attending college full time. I am in my last year at school. However, some were unable to attend any form of education or training before the pandemic: College, but didn’t like it at all or one of the lecturers. Felt bullied. Don’t go there now. No, they struggled to find an appropriate setting that I liked, and could meet the needs outlined in my EHCP. I am not able to work because of the accommodation I am currently residing in as they charge money for people who work. Toste et al. (2021) in their American research exploring resilienceamongdisabledstudentsduring Covid-19, highlight that many disabled students experienced inequalities in the education system which have been intensified by the risks associated with the pandemic. Dickinson and Yates (2020) in their Australian research, report a similar account of education before Covid-19. These authors highlight the barriers already facing students with disabilities before the pandemic in terms of inclusive education when compared to their non-disabled peers. From a UK context, The Children’s Commissioner (2020) report on ‘Childhood in the time of Covid’ explains that certain groups of children and young people were permitted to continue attending school, including those with a social worker or an EHCP due to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Consequently, during the pandemic, some young people with disabilities in our study continued to attend school or college, sometimes