Today is Father’s Day, so here’s to all the dads who show up for their families today and every day.
Fatherhood is often described in familiar ways, from doing the school run to telling a bad joke. But at the Motability Foundation, many of our grant recipients experience it differently.
We hear from stepdads, grandads, foster dads and father figures who are balancing moments of pride and laughter with the challenges of adapting to inaccessible spaces or learning to navigate new systems.
So, what does it mean to be a dad if you have a disability, or if your child does?
Our CEO, Nigel Fletcher, believes there is no rule book:
"Being a dad with a visual impairment has never felt like being a lesser dad. It has simply meant that fatherhood has its own shape.
“My children understand my sight better than anyone else. They know, instinctively, what I can see and what I cannot. Walking down the street, they will casually remark “low branch on your left,” or gently push me aside while carrying on with whatever they were saying. No drama. No fuss. Just love made practical.
“Because I have confidence with my disability, people forget I may be guessing my environment rather than seeing it. When the children were younger, that brought challenges like following them closely in the park so I did not lose them, or the close call when I nearly picked up the wrong child from reception class!
“I cannot drive, and sometimes that means missing out. My daughter may prefer a lift from Mum to walking with Dad or waiting for a taxi – and that hurts. But fatherhood is about understanding and adapting. Disability should never be a barrier to being a dad.”
One of our grant recipients, Aaron, can relate. Being a role model to his two children is important to him.
“I have a neurological condition, my son has it too, so it’s important for me to show him what you are capable of. Even though I am disabled, I firmly believe in putting yourself out there and getting the heart pumping. When I discovered wheelchair basketball, I knew I’d found my sport. Having a passion is so important.”
For dads caring for disabled children, fatherhood can also mean navigating a world slow to understand what their children need. It can be exhausting, but dads like Warren, who stepped back from his career to be one of his son Tyler’s full-time carers, keep showing up.
That’s why we are celebrating Warren today, alongside dads like Innes, Steven, Andrew and Chris, all proving that care is strength and that love matters, however it is expressed.
So, to the dads attending appointments, fighting for support and learning a specialist language you never expected to become fluent in, we see you.
We see you all. Happy Father’s Day.
