I recently made a tiktok video which has brought to light a bigger issue within the character clothing industry. As a SEN family meeting our children’s needs can be overwhelming and hard on the best of days but to face challenges such as seeing character clothing our children would love, but them not being accessible for older children. Most book themed, characters from tv shows etc only go upto 7-8 years. Which leaves our children missing out.

Some SEN parents wait so many years to just be able to communicate with their children and for their children to be able to express their likes, so to hit a wall and not be able to fulfil our kids wants, when they are finally able to express themselves. It’s disheartening and another battle us SEN parents have to face on the mountain load of other battles we face within the system. This shouldn’t be another fight, we aren’t even asking for clothes to be made with sensory needs in mind, we just want to be able to buy our kids Pyjamas and clothing in their favourite characters when they are no longer tiny, it’s not even that we just want it, THEY want it! The amount of times I’ve watched my own son break down to tears because I couldn’t get his size and then I’m trying my best to find something but usually only small businesses doing their best and offering us tshirts etc and we are grateful!

But my only hope is that this can reach more people who have faced this difficulty, to make a change for all our children, to make a difference for adults with disabilities who also deserve to have the things they enjoy but also at the quality of most clothing! If clothing brands are worried about loss of costs then I feel like if there was an option for preorder made to size then that could cut costs of loss and only genuine buyers will buy and only them products will be made! Or even  trial run of a small number of stock in bigger sizes & I feel youd be surprised by how much us SEN parents have been waiting for the opportunity for our kids to have their favourite character clothing whether they are 8-21 years old. Life is about the little happiness we can find in each moment, let this be a change that can lead to a lot of people’s happiness, in such a hard world.

As a mum of three in a Special Educational Needs (SEN) family, I have personally felt the frustration of not being able to find clothing that fits my son—who, like many SEN children, requires larger sizes that are simply not available in the character-themed styles he loves. This issue is not unique to us. After sharing our experience in a TikTok video, we discovered an entire community of parents facing the same challenge, yearning for change.

Imagine a child lighting up with joy just because they can finally wear their favorite superhero or cartoon character on their clothing—a joy that should be accessible to every child, regardless of their size or special needs. But for SEN families, this seemingly simple wish is met with disappointment time and time again due to the lack of availability in larger sizes.

Clothing brands, distributors, and retailers need to recognize the unique needs of SEN families and make character clothing available in all sizes. These children deserve to wear clothing that reflects their interests and personalities, just like any other child.

According to the UK Office for National Statistics, 14.9% of children aged 5-19 have a special educational need. This is a significant portion of the population that is being overlooked by the clothing industry. By expanding character clothing ranges to include larger sizes, companies have the opportunity to not only tap into an underserved market but also promote inclusivity and equality.

We urge clothing manufacturers and retailers, both large and small, to expand their clothing lines to include character-themed options in sizes that accommodate older and bigger SEN children. There are many ways this could be achieved, such as collaboration with disability advocacy groups and direct feedback from SEN communities to better understand the needs and preferences of SEN children.

Join us in asking for this much-needed change. Sign the petition to show your support for accessible character clothing for SEN children and help spread awareness. Let’s ensure that every child, regardless of size or needs, can experience the joy of wearing clothes that they love and feel confident in.