ABSTRACT
The majority of parents sought the advice of health professionals and donned the mantle of being their own child’s care managers, seeking appropriate packages of care, treatments and education, from the public, voluntary and private sectors. This chapter examines voluntary and private sector organisations within their historical and social policy contexts. Parents caring for their children with cerebral palsy at home have always used voluntary and private organisations. Friendships change and evolve over time in response to changing life styles and events. They develop between families of children with disabilities often through self-help groups. Associated with promoting the voluntary sector is the Department of Health’s faith in participation by volunteers. The private sector is of crucial importance as a provider of treatment and educational alternatives. The voluntary sector is diverse, patchy and used spasmodically by many as a source of information.
