17:49
Tieng Anh Vui
The government has been urged to undertake a review of the adequacy of support for disabled children by the children's commissioner for England.
The call follows research which suggests that some families of disabled children are unable to afford basic necessities for "a dignified life".
Children's commissioner Maggie Atkinson called the research "disturbing".
In a statement, a government spokesman said: "This is a small sample, presenting a partial picture."
The study, carried out by University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) for the children's commissioner, found evidence that poverty meant some disabled children were not living lives that met international human rights standards.
The research is based on interviews and group discussions with 78 disabled children and young people and 17 parents. It was co-led by a team of 11 disabled children and young people working with the university.
'Extra costs'
The researchers found "many examples" of disabled children receiving good care and services which they say "demonstrate how low income does not have to be a barrier".
But they also found evidence of inadequate services compounding the problems of some low income families of disabled children.
The authors say that although families with disabled children often have rights to welfare payments and practical support, their basic incomes often do not cover the extra costs of raising and caring for a disabled child.
The team analysed three United Nations treaty documents: the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on Persons with Disabilities and the International Covenant on Economic and Social Rights.
Between them these treaties specify individuals' rights to food, clothes and heating, to live independently, to be able to decide where to live, to live in their local communities and to the support and services they need to be able to do that.
The researchers found that the lives lived by some disabled children and young people did not meet these basic rights.
"There were accounts of some disabled children, young people and their parents not being able to heat their homes properly or afford adequate clothing and food.
"Some were not informed or involved in decisions about changes to where they lived.
"Some experienced delays in adaptations being made to their homes and some did not have enough space nor support for independent living," says the paper.
'A scandal'
In her foreword Ms Atkinson says the findings are "not an easy read".
"I make no excuses for that fact. I do not accept that for all our claims of civilised sophistication as a country, we still have families who, like that of one mum featured, will be in debt until 2022 or later, because they are, quite simply, poor.
"This is a scandal," writes Ms Atkinson.
A spokesman for the Department of Work and Pensions rejected some of the conclusions.
"In fact independent reports show how we are world leaders in support for disabled people with the UK's spending on disability-related benefits a fifth higher than the EU average.
"The UK is also acknowledged as a world leader in supporting independent living for disabled people, having the best overall rating of 55 countries.
"We continue to spend around £50bn a year on disabled people and their services and our reforms will make sure the billions spent give more targeted support to those who need it most."
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