A NEW report released this week shows Barnsley families raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people are being driven further into debt and unable to meet vital extra caring costs.

The Family Fund’s Cost of Caring 2025 dossier reflects the responses of 2,300 UK families on low incomes raising disabled and seriously ill children, and shows the continued daily impact of a non-stop caring load, with a struggle to afford essentials like food and heating.

The charity, which gives essential grants and services to families on low incomes raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people, revealed benefit payments aren’t keeping pace with the cost of living and depleted mental health outcomes have been found.

The charity gave over 200,000 grants and instances of support to families in 2024/25 compared to 150,000 last year.

Louisa Phillips, from Barnsley, is one parent who received help - and she praised the vital support that was offered.

Her three children - Amelia, 11, Maisie, nine and four-year-old Vinnie - all have additional needs.

Louisa said: “I work part-time as a mental health nurse.

“My oldest daughter Amelia is autistic with high sensory sensitivity, severe eating issues (ARFID) and sleep difficulties.

“Maisie is dyslexic and on the pathway for an autism diagnosis, and Vinnie has speech delay and presents similarly to Maisie.

“They’re in a school that works for them, but we have to pay for the breakfast club, and the after-school club, and childminders.

“I’d love to increase my hours because I love my job, but I just can’t.

“The Family Fund meant we’ve been able to have a holiday - without their help we probably wouldn’t have been able to do it.

“Being able to just sit in the sun and just watch them play and have five minutes of breathing space away from work, all the appointments, renew the DLA, all the distractions and those other things that you worry about all the time.

“You know it’s still there, but at that moment in time, we’re not doing that.

“We’re doing the kids and we’re doing time as a family.”