Disability Horizons

Inclusive playgrounds can provide rich sensory experiences where disabled children and children with sensory processing differences explore movement, textures and play in ways that support regulation, confidence and physical development. These spaces combine movement, textures and varied input tailored to unique needs.

Social media platforms are built to reward engagement — and that means they end up rewarding posts that appeal to our own worst tribal and sensational instincts. Those incentives may be shaping how the SEND crisis is discussed long before policy makers enter the conversation. Joanna Grace explores what that looks like from the inside. — Duncan, Editor When Agreement Ends and Battle Lines Begin Everyone agrees that the SEND system is in crisis. Everyone agrees something must change.

A wide view across the River Tyne in Newcastle shows The Glasshouse International Centre for Music on the left and the Tyne Bridge spanning the river in the distance. by Ryan Booth (@boothryan_) Newcastle has a reputation for being rowdy on a Saturday night. It is famous for its nightlife around areas such as Bigg Market, but the city also has museums, riverside routes, restaurants and cultural venues that can work well for an accessible weekend break. Accessibility varies across Newcastle.

Before I turned 18, I’d visited three continents, crossed deserts, explored islands and flown thousands of miles — all from my wheelchair. — Liesl Hammer I’m delighted to introduce a new writer to Disability Horizons, Liesl Hammer, whose lifetime of travel has given her a unique perspective on exploring the world as a wheelchair user.

Persistent snoring is often treated as a joke, but it can sometimes be a sign of obstructive sleep apnoea. This is a condition where breathing repeatedly stops or becomes shallow during sleep because the airway becomes narrowed or blocked. But often it’s very hard to even get referred to a snoring clinic. According to the NHS guidance on sleep apnoea, symptoms can include loud snoring, pauses in breathing, waking up gasping or choking, and feeling very tired during the day.

A mobile hoist positioned beside the bed in one of Royal Lancaster London's accessible rooms, showing the clear floor space needed for safer transfers. Most people book a hotel and assume they’ll be able to get into bed when they arrive. People who rely on a mobile hoist don’t have that luxury. Before we can think about the location or whether breakfast is included, we need to know whether safe transfers will even be possible.

About the author I’m Duncan Edwards, Editor of Disability Horizons and an award-winning entrepreneur. My wife has lived with a spinal cord injury for many years, and bladder Botox has genuinely transformed our day-to-day life. Before treatment, bladder accidents meant lengthy hoist transfers, complete clothing and bedding changes, and hours lost to daily routines. Today, those interruptions are far less common, giving us the freedom to travel, work, and enjoy everyday life.

Breathlessness and fatigue can make everyday tasks feel much harder, whether you live with COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, long COVID or another long-term lung condition. This guide focuses on practical, real-world strategies to help you manage daily life at home, combining clinical advice with lived experience and a strong emphasis on accessibility, independence and support. Who is this guide for?

Social media can be a source of connection, advice and community for disabled people. It can also expose people to ableist comments, benefit debates and stressful news. Here is how online spaces can affect mental health, and practical ways to make social media feel safer and more supportive.

For disabled people, the small frictions of everyday digital life can quickly add up. Whether it’s a form that won’t work with a screen reader or a document that can’t be navigated by keyboard, these everyday barriers can have real consequences. People can lose privacy, control and independence over everyday tasks. One barrier that rarely gets much attention is the way documents are shared.