Every Disabled Child Matters - Aiming High for Disabled Children

Background

The needs of disabled children and their families may have had a low priority in the development of Children’s Services on a national basis.  Following lobbying from pressure groups, four charities conducted an evaluation of Children and Young People’s Plans (CYPP).  The outcome was to establish that, although authorities talked positively about providing services for disabled children, very little was demonstrated in how this was undertaken. A cross-party government initiative who took up the challenge posed by Voluntary Sector partners and stakeholders across the country, were concerned by the level of services provided to families and the plight of many people caring for disabled children.  The “Parliamentary Hearings on Services for Disabled Children – Full Report” can also be viewed on the Every Disabled Child Matters website at: http://www.edcm.org.uk/pdfs/parl_hearings_reportamended.pdf

Aiming High for Disabled Children: Better Support for Families

Initiated by government, the Aiming High for Disabled Children programme consists of £340 million of new money by 2011 to support service developments  to transform the life chances of disabled children and young people through:

The vision behind Aiming High for Disabled Children is for all families with disabled children to have the support they need to live ordinary family lives, as a matter of course. To deliver this vision, Aiming High for Disabled Children has three priority areas:

Access and empowerment

Responsive services and timely support

Improving quality and capacity

The national programme commits to establishing:

  • A Core Offer to disabled children and families – a national set of expectations around information, transparency, participation, assessment and feedback. These standards will help shape local services.

  • new National Indicator on services for disabled children which will be used to measure the experience of families with disabled children which will assit in  better understanding and assess the performance of Local Authorities and PCTs across England.

  • Work to improve the quality and quantity of information held locally and centrally on disabled children, their families and the services they need through development of a Full Service Offer

Hampshire`s Aiming High for Disabled Children programme

Earlier in the year 7 consulation workshops were held with parents/ carers and separate events with young people to seek views and comments on how Hampshire takes this agenda forward and which could be priority areas for new developement/ change.  For information about our Consultation, please click ont this link or go to ADHC Consulation on righthand menu.

Forthcoming Events and News

Family and Children’s Fun and Participation Day

Saturday 22nd November at the Alton Maltings, 10am – 1pm

  • Briefing on the Commissioning Strategy for Disabled Children’s Services

  • Fun and games for children of all ages and abilities

  • ·For parents and carers  a chance to chat

To book a place on this event, please plick on this link Event Flyer (document)

For information or enquiries about Aiming High for Disabled Children programme, please contact Aiming High project office, Children and Families Branch, Children's Services Department, Hampshire County Council, Ashburton Court East (1st Floor), The Castle, Winchester, Hants, SO23 8UG or email: john.dunning@hants.gov.uk