Welcome back, Mama. We're so glad you're here. Today's conversation is big and sobering—we're shining light on the financial crisis disability mums face when raising children with additional needs. This isn't about fear or guilt, it's about truth. Because when we name what's happening, we create space to change it.
We're unpacking the real financial burden, why mothers are hit hardest, how single parenthood intensifies the strain, and the hidden poverty reality no one talks about. If you're carrying this weight, you're not failing—you're operating in systems never built to support us. You're seen here, and together we're creating change.
Key Takeaways:
- Raising a child with a disability incurs overwhelming financial challenges, costing three to four times more than caring for a neurotypical child.
- Many mothers face reduced employment opportunities or leave the workforce entirely, exacerbating financial pressures and long-term career impacts.
- Single mothers of children with disabilities face the highest poverty risks globally, as 80-90% of caregiving falls to women.
- The stigma and invisible burdens of caregiving create isolation but also highlight the necessity for organised advocacy and systemic change.
- Awareness and advocacy efforts are crucial, with a call to action for creating supportive policies and community networks to support these mothers better.
Notable Quotes:
- "Global research shows that raising a child with a disability costs three to four times more than raising raising a neurotypical child." - Hannah Gair
- "Many mothers provide up to 20 to 70 hours of unpaid care every single week. Now that's equivalent to a second job, but with no paycheck, no leave, no superannuation and no end date." - Hannah Gair
- "Single mothers raising disabled children face some of the highest poverty risks globally." - Hannah Gair
- "We are a stronger sisterhood when we link arms together and we can create change when there is a greater number of us." - Hannah Gair
- "You are doing the work of multiple people on broken sleep and with a heart full of love and a calendar full of responsibilities." - Hannah Gair
