The Scar Free Foundation proud to support Inclusive Fashion Show for children

Friday 15 May 2026

On Saturday 13 June 2026, The Scar Free Foundation will be the proud charity partner of an Inclusive Fashion Show in partnership with Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity. This forward thinking adaptive fashion event celebrates children and young people with scarring, disabilities, visible differences, and additional needs, for whom adaptive clothing is essential.

Hosted at The Pairc Hotel in King’s Heath, Birmingham, the event is organised by Carmen Burkett of Inclusive Fashion CIC. Now in its second year, the fashion show shines a light on the importance of accessible, adaptive clothing while creating a welcoming and empowering space for children and families.

The Scar Free Foundation will attend the event to raise awareness of scarring and adaptive fashion, meet families, and celebrate the creativity, confidence, and resilience of the young people taking part. For many children with scarring, adaptive clothing helps to improve comfort, independence, confidence, and provides garments that accommodate medical needs and ongoing treatments.

Buy your ticket today!

Carmen Burkett (right) has described the workshops and shows as for ‘absolutely everybody: the CIC aims to be as inclusive as possible’. Carmen and a volunteer are pictured above at an ICC Conference in April 2026.

The Inclusive Fashion Show initiative began when Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital Consultant Plastic and Hand Surgeon Andrea Jester approached fashion lecturer Carmen Burkett with an idea: could fashion students help design adaptive clothing for children with additional needs? That collaboration has since grown into a wider community project supporting children and families through creativity, inclusion, and practical solutions.

Today, Inclusive Fashion CIC delivers sewing classes, workshops, coffee mornings, and fashion events that help children, families, and carers adapt clothing to suit individual needs. From sensory-friendly fabrics and softer seams, to easier fastenings and openings for medical devices, these adaptations can make everyday life significantly more manageable.

Andrea discusses the project on BBC Woman’s Hour

Andrea Jester (left), Consultant Plastic and Hand Surgeon at the Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital, approached fashion lecturer Carmen to explore adaptive fashion for children

Adaptive clothing can have a big impact for those affected by scarring. Scar tissue may be sensitive, painful, tight, or easily irritated, while some children wear compression garments,  dressings, or medical items beneath their clothes. Others experience reduced mobility or sensory sensitivities that make standard clothing difficult, impractical, or uncomfortable to wear.

Adaptive clothing may include features such as:

• Soft seams and sensory-friendly fabrics
• Adjustable waistbands and flexible fits
• Easy fastenings and hidden openings
• Access points for dressings, medical devices, or treatment areas

which can make a huge difference to a child’s comfort, confidence, and independence.

Families involved in the project have spoken about how the lack of affordable adaptive clothing affects not only comfort, but also dignity, self-esteem, and participation in everyday life – experiences which resonate with many families affected by scarring. Parents have described the relief of being in spaces where they do not need to explain their child’s condition or justify why clothing adaptations are necessary.

The children and families are involved are not only in wearing the clothing, but have designed, customised, and adapted it themselves via a series of workshops.

These workshops and events also give children opportunities to socialise, build confidence, and express themselves creatively – particularly those who may have become withdrawn following injury, treatment, or experiences related to visible difference.

Many volunteers have been hard at work, creating garments and finishing touches for the show!

The 2026 fashion show will champion that inclusive approach, welcoming children and young people with a wide range of lived experiences, including scarring.

Exhibitors are expected to include organisations supporting children affected by visible difference, disabilities, hair loss, skin conditions, and body differences, alongside adaptive fashion designers and community partners.

Our inclusion in the Inclusive Fashion Show isn’t just about raising awareness: it means supporting confidence, self-expression, inclusion, and practical everyday solutions that help children live well, which is why we are so thrilled to be a 2026 official partner.

We can’t wait to support Inclusive Fashion CIC, Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, volunteers, clinicians, families, and, most importantly, the young people themselves in creating an event that celebrates creativity, recovery, and accessible clothing.

Buy your ticket today!

📸 All photos courtesy of Carmen Burkett, Inclusive Fashion CIC