Sam Cam celebrates ‘joys’ of disabled children

Samantha Cameron has breakfast in her Downing Street apartment with Philip Kiley (left), eight, from Chorley in Lancashire, and Stevie Tyrie, eight, from Manchester

The Prime Minister’s wife invited eight-year-olds Stevie Tyrie, who has cerebral palsy, and Philip Kiley, who has Down’s Syndrome, to Downing Street to mark the opening of a photo exhibition promoting positive images of family life with disabled children.

The Camerons have previously spoken of the profound impact that caring for their severely disabled son Ivan had upon them.

Ivan, who suffered from both cerebral palsy and epilepsy, died in 2009 at the age of six. His death marked a rare moment of conciliation with the then Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who paid tribute to Ivan in a House of Commons speech, relating the death of his own daughter Jennifer.

Mrs Cameron, who is a patron of the charity Contact A Family, which has organised the exhibition, said: “Contact A Family’s exhibition is a fantastic way to highlight the joys and challenges of raising a disabled child.

“I am delighted to support such a positive initiative and also to welcome Stevie, Philip and their families to Downing Street for breakfast and to hear how Contact A Family makes such a difference to their lives.”

Amanda Batten, chief executive of the charity, which offers advice to parents, said: “We are delighted Samantha Cameron has helped share the joys of everyday life with a disabled child this morning.

“Parents with disabled children have many concerns and worries for their child and their child’s future, but we hope that the Pictures From Home exhibition will help highlight the universal joy and delight that seeing your child develop and grow brings to every parent.”

• Pictures From Home opened last night for one week at La Galleria in Pall Mall, central London.