The rights of disabled parents and their children are dependant upon the large-scale recognition of disabled people’s rights. The 1995 Disability Discrimination Act has brought the social oppression of disabled people into the public eye through the outlawing of discriminatory treatment of disabled people in employment, in public places and in the provision of services. It can be argued that the Disability Discrimination Act does not at present go far enough to fully integrate disabled people into society but it continues to be updated in line with disabled people’s needs in all aspects of social life. A society that has to abide by these laws must also be provided with education so that commonly held assumptions of disability can be understood.

Parenting should not be perceived then as something that cannot be done just because a person is a wheelchair user, is deaf or visually impaired, is a mental health services user or has learning difficulties; women of all abilities should have a choice of whether or not to have children. Organisations such as The Joseph Rowntree Foundation, The National Childbirth Trust, Disability, Pregnancy and Parenting International and Disabled Parents' Network have highlighted the discriminatory attitudes of society towards disabled parents and have been instrumental in supporting research into their needs. Having the right support from health and social care professionals, as well as from family and friends, should mean that children of disabled parents should neither feel stigmatised; nor be seen as ‘carers’. Recognising the value of difference, and breaking down discriminatory barriers will by default allow disabled people to be perceived, and perceive themselves, as valuable citizens, and ‘good enough’ parents.

Research into this area by Thomas has revealed that ‘disabled parents can (and do) do it too’ and it has also identified that the ‘real’ experiences of disabled people are important considerations if acceptable support services are to be established. Disabled parents, and their families, must be viewed holistically with the services they need being accessed through appropriate channels over which the disabled parents themselves have choice and control. Ownership of power and control is fundamental to autonomy and independence and disabled parents need to be consulted and included in decision making as partners. Promotion of parental autonomy would - as Morris observes - certainly support the “government… policy that children’s well-being should be promoted, wherever possible, by providing support for parents”.

Direct payments have, for some years now, been provided by social services to disabled people so that they may employ their own personal assistants for personal care. Research into disabled parenting has helped establish and implement new legislation for disabled parents to apply for direct payments purely for their parenting needs. This is a great decision that not only helps protect the rights of disabled people to be parents but also gives them the control over who will support them in their parenting role.