HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report :

Decision Maker:			Executive Member for Children and Families
Date of Decision:			16 October 2008
Decision Title:			Aiming High for Disabled Children
Decision Reference:			322
Report From:			Director of Children's Services
Contact name:
Tel:	07718 146800			Email:	Colin.hardy@hants.gov.uk

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1) Summary of Decision Area:

1.1. This report identifies the commissioning strategy to develop a Full Service Offer to disabled children and young people, their parents and carers. The report also confirms the Government Grants from 2009/10 and a spending plan will be included in the budget report to Members for 2009/10

1.2. The report proposes the following approach in developing better short break services to support disabled children and Young people.

· Support to parents and carers by providing information and participation networks, including better information to assist families in accessing universal services.

· A targeted short break `offer' for children and young people attending special schools and those claiming high rate care and/or mobility Disabled Living Allowance

· Improvements in overnight short break services and in care supports within the home to provide a break from caring, including through the use of Direct Payments.

2) Issues Covered in Report:

2.1. The report identifies Government guidance in relation to developing a Full Service Offer to disabled children and young people and to support the approach a joint needs analysis has been undertaken with the Hampshire Primary Care Trust.

2.2. The report sets out a joint approach with the Hampshire PCT and at this stage no PCT funds have been identified and the proposed commissioning strategy is funded through the Grant to Hampshire County Council. The report also identifies priorities the PCT will consider as guidance in relation to funds made available to meet health care needs is confirmed in the context of the need for the PCT to develop Child Health and Palliative Care strategies by April 2009.

2.3. Consultation has been undertaken with parents, carers and other partners and a summary of the views of parents invited to a `focus group' to consider a draft approach is included in the report

3) Recommendations:

3.1 It is recommended that the Executive Member approve the commissioning plan to develop short break services

3.2 It is recommended that the Executive Member approves that tenders be let for short break services and for an information service.

MAIN REPORT

3 Purpose of the Report:

3.1 The Executive Member for Children and Families received a report in January 2008 identifying the need to undertake consultation with consumers and stakeholders in order to seek views on how the Aiming High for Disabled Children development programme should be taken forward in Hampshire. Over 300 parents and partners have subsequently taken part in a programme of consultation events. A focus group with parents and carers was independently facilitated by the Director of the Council for Disabled Children and a summary of their consideration of a draft commissioning plan is included in this report.

3.2 The Executive Member on the 4^th May 2008 approved that tenders be let for some existing services where contracts are due to end in March 2008, including purchased overnight short break services, domiciliary care and for a long stay residential service

3.3 This report identifies the commissioning plan to develop short break services within the context of the Full Service Offer and subject to the approval of the Executive Member tenders for additional short break services and an information service will commence later in 2008.

4 Contextual Information:

4.1 A joint needs assessment has been undertaken with the PCT and further work has been agreed to develop a data set, and associated performance monitoring mechanisms, to be able to monitor progress in implementation of services to respond to agreed commissioning objectives.

4.2 The commissioning approach to develop a Full Service Offer is summarised below.

· Support to parents and carers by providing information and participation networks, including better information to assist families in accessing universal services.

· A targeted short break `offer' for children and young people attending special schools and those claiming high rate care and/or mobility Disabled Living Allowance, which can be accessed without the need for further assessment of need

· Improvements in overnight short break services and in care supports within the home, including through the use of direct payments.

4.3 This commissioning plan is a joint statement by the County Council and the Hampshire PCT and a report will be made to the PCT Management Board in October 2008 to seek support to the proposals utilising the grant to the County Council.

4.4 There are no proposals at this stage to develop pooled or aligned budgets and the report to the PCT Management Board will identify those areas of NHS developments which could be addressed as the guidance to the PCT in relation to funding and focus is made available. There will be some opportunities for jointly commissioned or jointly managed services within the context of a Child Health Strategy and a Palliative Care Strategy to be developed by the PCT by April 2009.

4.5 In addition to existing work with the PCT to develop more flexible and responsive assessment arrangements, to consider joint management of the OT services and to review therapy services, initial discussions have identified the following potential service improvement issues. Development in all these areas is entirely contingent upon guidance to the PCT in relation to funding and focus and upon service priorities established by the PCT Board. At this stage Government guidance has confirmed an expectation of match funding within PCT budgets to enable development of NHS lead short break and other support services.

· Improved access to therapies and community nursing services including in schools

· Improvements in specialist and community nursing services to support parents and carers, including sitting services

· Subject to further needs analysis considering the potential to enhance capacity in NHS funded short break services by improvements to staffing levels to better reflect needs.

· Further support to operating costs of the Joint Equipment Store and to the provision of additional equipment, including to support extended services in schools and family carers

· Potential to further develop Joint Exceptional Needs funding to improve shared service delivery to those with very complex needs

· Development and implementation of the Palliative Care Strategy, including revised arrangements for meeting the continuing care needs of children and young people with life limiting conditions

· Development and implementation of the Child Health Strategy,

· Development of community nursing supports to overnight short break services

· Development of specialist support services to those on the autistic spectrum, those with moving and handling needs and with challenging behaviour.

4.6 A partnership is developing between the County Council , District Councils and Sport England to provide specialist outside play areas suitable for disabled children and also to enhance access to sport and leisure facilities using Aiming High capital and existing Play Builder grants.

4.7 It is anticipated it will be necessary to publish a delivery plan by early 2009 to ensure access to the additional grant and it is proposed to commence the service delivery phase of the project with tenders for some new services emerging towards the end of 2008.

5 Key Issues:

5.1 Government guidance requires that in developing short breaks for children and young people with a disability attention is paid to a balance between all disabled children accessing universal services and in providing more specialist or targeted services for those with complex needs.

5.2 The guidance also requires that a broader range of short breaks are made available so that children and parents may exercise a choice of what may assist in meeting their needs and have access to regular and local service, in addition to overnight short breaks.

5.3 Whilst there has been guidance to local authorities identifying a ring fenced grant and the focus of services that should develop there has been no similar guidance to PCTs. It is anticipated that the launch of the Child health Strategy later in 2008 may include further guidance, although it is known that funds made available to the PCT are not ring fenced. Government statements confirm an expectation of match funding within NHS services to support a partnership between local authorities and PCTs in developing a joint commissioning approach to service improvements.

6 Guidance

7.1 There are two main policy areas associated with the Aiming High for Disabled Children Programme, the need to develop a Core Offer and a duty to develop a Full Service Offer.

7.2 The Core Offer is largely a need to make a commitment to issues of principle and process, including publishing clearer eligibility criteria and being transparent about the factors managers will take into account in making decision about the level of service appropriate in individual circumstances.

7.3 A review of eligibility criteria is underway and it is proposed to report further to the Executive Member in December 2008 in order that any proposals to change the eligibility for service or the level of services that can be made available within available resources can be considered as the budget for 2009/10 is developed.

7.4 The Full Service Offer is focused on expanding the extent and nature of services which provide a short break to children, young people, their parents and carers.

7.5 Guidance has been published on eligible expenditure and this confirms that both capital and revenue grants must be spent on developing a broader range of short break services, extracts from the guidance are summarised below.

· expenditure must enable the Full Service Offer to be met

· expenditure must be undertaken with the primary aim of securing short breaks for severely disabled children

· If applied to universal settings, expenditure must support an identified programme of short break provision and should not simply aim to enhance inclusion in a general sense (e.g. help childcare settings to provide day care for disabled children to enable parents to work or train). This is not to say that short break commissioning ought not to enable provision to be inclusive - but rather the aim of the expenditure must be to secure short break provision

· expenditure must support severely disabled children's access to provision and should not substitute for funding aimed at providing inclusive services. This expenditure should be separate to, and over and above the adjustments that might reasonably be made, or that are already being made, to increase the inclusion of disabled children and young people in existing provision. Examples of eligible expenditure meeting this criteria would be: befriending, sessional worker or sitters assisting severely disabled children and young people's access to universal provision; bridging - the use of short-term specialist staff to ensure a smooth transition of a severely disabled child into a mainstream service. This would have the goal of building sustainable skills so that when the worker withdraws, the child's short break access is maintained; impairment or issue specific training to enable the access of a child or children to short break provision - local areas should ensure that this is underpinned by a firm foundation of disability equality awareness as required by legislation.

7 Objectives and commissioning strategy

8.1 The approach being developed in making a Full Service Offer is focused upon building upon existing services to expand the nature of short breaks and in ensuring better access to support by making an `offer' to those children and young people with significant levels of disability. The proposals have been developed through consultation and derive from detailed discussion with Extended Services Coordinators, Special School Headteachers, the SEN management team and engagement with the Voluntary Sector.

8.2 A focus group with parents and carers was held on the 10^th July , independently facilitated by the Director of the Council for Disabled Children, and whilst there were comments of focus that have subsequently been addressed there was broad support to the approach. The key points made during the focus group are attached to this report.

8.3 The proposed offer, to provide access to after school, week end and holiday care schemes, will reach in the order of an additional 3700 children and young people (0-18) with high levels of need. An additional needs assessment will not be required to be able to take up the offer as access would be based upon attendance at a special school or being in receipt of DLA higher rate care and/or mobility allowance.

8.4 Children and young people with the most complex needs will continue to access more specialist services following a care management led needs assessment. Proposals will be developed to produce a clearer statement of eligibility criteria and also a statement of the factors to be taken into account by managers in reaching decisions about the level of service that can be offered within available resources. The review of eligibility criteria will take into account guidance in relation to those with physical disabilities, with moving and handling needs, those on the autistic spectrum and those with challenging behaviour. Specialist services accessed through a needs assessment will continue to include overnight short breaks, care support in the home through sitting services and domiciliary care contracts, support through family link carers and Direct Payment arrangements.

Objective 1 - Information and Support

8.5 Develop in each of the three areas across Hampshire an information and support service to offer the following components.

· single point of contact for providing information to young people, parents, carers and partner agencies- within the context of the `Parent Know How' programme

· develop and support parent and carer participation networks

· recruitment, support and training to carers who can be deployed via Direct Payments

· advocacy and brokering service to support individuals in accessing information and in taking forward their access to assessments and services, including support to increasing access to DLA.

Objective 2 - Short break services

8.6 To provide a network of after school, weekend and holiday services to provide a choice of access to a regular short break for parents and carers by:-

a) Supporting access to universal provision for disabled children and young people aged 0-18 (19 in some cases) in receipt of DLA high rate care and / or high rate mobility allowances. This offer will reach in the order of 1300 children and young people and be based upon an offer to support attendance at a number of evening, weekend and holiday activities a year. This objective will be delivered by providing funding for the additional care support needed by individuals to ensure their access to universal care, play, leisure and sport services through extended services, e.g. in mainstream schools, colleges and in youth clubs

b) Supporting the development of extended school provision for those attending the 27 special schools in Hampshire by funding, through contracts, and direct delivery in some cases, a network of after school, Saturday and holiday care schemes. This offer will reach 2400 children and young people and will be based upon an offer of attendance at after school, Saturday and holiday care schemes. The offer is modified for those attending MLD secondary and BESD schools to allow a choice of either an evening or a week end service in addition to access to a holiday care scheme each year. This offer will be delivered by schools either directly providing a network of after school and holiday services or through tendered contracts with independent sector providers.

In both cases the cost model is based upon 100% take up and could reach over 3,600 children.

Objective 3 - Transport

8.7 Improve access to transport, for those using overnight short breaks and attending extended services in special schools, by including transport within those service specifications. This may include capital support to access vehicles, with the cost of drivers and escorts being included within service delivery contracts. The cost of this service could, in part, be recovered by charging for journeys with suitable arrangements for hardship. Cost effective arrangements may be possible to pay mileage rates to those with mobility vehicles.

Objective 4 - Direct Payments

8.8 Improve arrangements around the delivery of Direct Payments arrangements including improving support to carers using the scheme.

Objective 5 - Care support in family homes

8.9 Increase capacity of care support services , including sitting services within family homes through the tendering for domiciliary care contracts

Objective 6 - Overnight short breaks

8.10 Maintain the existing capacity of overnight short break services available and make changes to the service specification to include those with physical disabilities, those with complex needs, moving and handling needs and challenging behaviour, including those on the autistic spectrum. Arrangements will also be made to review equity of capacity and equity of access in HCC and purchased services as eligibility criteria are revised in 2010/11.

Objective 7 - Aids and equipment

8.11 Improve access to Aids and Equipment through additional capital budget allocation

Objective 8 - OT and supportive therapies.

8.12 Jointly with Hampshire PCT, improve access to OT and `Therapy' services. Implementation of this objective will be contingent upon the PCT response to findings of a review of existing services to be reported to the PCT Board later in the year.

Objective 9 - Family link service

8.13 Improve and expand the capacity of the family link scheme, including consideration of `contract carers' and to better meet the needs of those with health care needs jointly with the PCT.

Objective 10 - Grant aid to the voluntary sector

8.14 Increase opportunities to grant aid voluntary organisations to develop the network of universal activities available to children and young people with disabilities and to enhance local support and participation networks

Objective 11 - workforce

8.15 Support workforce development through training and skills development in universal and extended services

Objective 12 - play, leisure and sport

8.17 Support access, by disabled children and young people, to play, leisure and sport activities through the use of capital in partnership with District Councils, Sport England and other partners

9 Risks

9.1 There has been broad consultation with families, carers and partner agencies and the contact will be maintained with the Together for Disabled Children consultant, working on behalf of the DCSF, who will assess local progress.

9.2 The following summarises key risks together with a commentary of mitigation.

DLA claimants.

9.3 The focus of an offer of service based upon claiming DLA (high rate care and/or mobility) prevents the need for an additional assessment of need and it is accepted that there is a good degree of consistency in the application of the DLA assessment criteria and that the higher rate claimants would by any assessment be considered severely disabled and with complex needs. There is a risk that `entitlement' to services based on DLA claim status will encourage greater numbers to make a claim and whilst that is to be encouraged in general there could be a greater demand for services than estimated in the needs analysis.

The cost model for the offer is based upon 100% take up and currently in similar services (e.g. in extended services in special schools) take up is in the 40-60% range. Should the number of children and young people claiming these Disabled Living Allowances increase significantly and if there were to be 100% take up it may be necessary to increase the proportion of service costs paid by service users in order to be able to maintain the offer within available resources

Universal services.

9.4 The offer of funding to support the cost of additional care needs for those, claiming higher rate care and or mobility DLA, attending a universal service is based upon there being sufficient universal services available and willing to meet the needs of disabled children and young people. It is envisaged that youth clubs, leisure centres and extended services will be central to delivering this element of the offer.

To mitigate against the risk that there will be insufficient universal provision able to meet the needs of disabled children close working arrangements are developing with extended services coordinators and other service providers. Support will also be offered in the recruitment and training of staff and.

Transport.

9.5 Access to transport services to take up short break care, to access extended services or play and leisure facilities remains challenging to many carers. The present policy of providing home school transport for those attending resourced units includes the potential to fund transport home when students attend an inclusive after school activity. The offer made to disabled children attending resourced units is to be delivered through extended service provision and there may be a need to adjust transport arrangements to include a later journey for some.

To mitigate against this risk a detailed review of those young people attending resourced units will be undertaken to assess how adjustments can be made within the available budget.

Early years services.

9.6 The offer of a short break service includes those under 5 and delivery is though universal early years provision where additional demand for services may develop. The Grant may not be used to support existing services and currently children with SEN accessing the free entitlement to early years education are able to receive additional support funding defined by their level of need. This funding is available to a child who attends a registered early years setting, when he or she has a statement of SEN or meets the criteria for statutory assessment as used by the local authority or when the child fulfils the portage criteria. In 07-08 £279,970 was allocated to meet the needs of children fulfilling the criteria for additional support. The EECU have also been piloting a childcare support scheme for children with SEN aged 0-16. This scheme consists of additional funding allocated to children on the basis of an identified need (consistent with the early years education SEN funding to support those accessing training or employment) and typically the funding is used to provide an enhanced adult child ratio and /or resources. This scheme operates in parallel with support, training and advice that is available to early years education and childcare providers. In 2007/08, 337 children were funded using a budget of £190,000 with the majority of children in the 0-5 age range. The pilot has been in operation for 2 years and numbers accessing the scheme has doubled in the last year. The recent childcare sufficiency assessment indicates that few parents, however, are aware of this scheme and in fact should the scheme continue to operate in its present form demand would be in excess of the budget allocation. Also, if the scheme continued to operate in the pilot form and be applied to the target group within the DLA aiming high offer, and if take up were at 100% there would be a substantial budget pressure. It is also possible that the aiming high offer may lead to increased take up of childcare for children with SEN and disability which although very positive, would increase the budget pressure further.

To mitigate against this risk the EECU is reviewing the parameters of the pilot and will be dovetailing the support scheme for children in childcare with the aiming high service development proposals.

Demand for overnight short breaks.

9.7 The proposals allow for some development of overnight short break care capacity in 2010/11 and allocates funding in 2009/10 to meet potential additional costs in existing services to take account of the needs of those on the autistic spectrum and with moving and handling needs who are not presently adequately included in services. The proposals have been developed in consultation with parents, carers and partners and are intended to provide a broader range of short break opportunities on a more regular basis within an entitlement that does not require a care management assessment. The Council for Disabled Children support this approach and have some evidence that access to other services could limit the demand for overnight short break services.

To mitigate against the risk that demand for overnight short breaks continues to increase, even when a broader range of alternative services is available, any additional demand can be managed within the judgements made about eligibility and if necessary by drawing upon additional local budgets in 2010/11.

Eligibility criteria.

9.8 In order to respond to guidance on the Core Offer it is necessary to review existing eligibility criteria and to consider how information about services and resources is made available to parents and carers. There is a risk that increased publicity about the aiming high programme could increase demand for assessments and consequently for services.

In order to mitigate against this risk the review of eligibility criteria will draw upon the joint needs assessment undertaken with the PCT and any revisions to eligibility will consider the possible impact of increased take up of services. The results will be reported to members in December 2008 in order that any impact can be dealt with as the budget for 2009/10 is developed.

The care management assessment process currently has to provide for a balance between demand and resource availability in the application of eligibility criteria and the potential to allocate additional local budgets from 2009/10, using the Grant, will enable managers to respond appropriately.

Grant conditions.

9.9 Guidance prohibits use of the Grant to replace funds for existing services and there are currently a range for service to disabled children funded through existing budgets, including holiday schemes and extended services in special schools.

In order to ensure `additionality' can be audited to meet grant conditions arrangements will be developed with DFU to `ring fence' these existing funding sources and to monitor spending of the Grant.

Workforce.

9.10 The proposals focus on developing a broader range of situations that provide a break to parents and carers and as such are dependant upon an adequate supply of care staff coming forward for employment. There is a risk that suitable carers can not be recruited.

To support service providers in their workforce strategies the information service proposed at objective 1 includes support to local recruitment and an allocation can be included in the 2009/10 budget to support coordination of recruitment and training.

Perverse incentives.

9.11 The service offer to those attending a special school or claiming higher rate care and / or mobility DLA is intended to meet the needs of disabled children without requiring a care management assessment. There are risks with such `passport' systems that a perverse incentive may be provided, for example, for special school places.

The current policies and practice in relation to SEN assessment and consideration of a need for a special school place will continue to ensure that educational needs are paramount in considering educational placements.

Critical success criteria

9.12 Recently published guidance identifies a number of factors that should be present in the local partnership if there is to be a successful implementation of new service opportunities.

The progress in Hampshire against these factors has been assessed by Together for Disabled Children, working on behalf of the DCSF, and Hampshire and its partners are judged to need a low level of support .

The factors assessed include the following key features

· senior level support in both the local authority and PCT, and a corresponding joint delivery programme

· a strategic approach to provision, incorporating consideration of access to universal provision

· the ongoing involvement of disabled children, young people and families in decision making

· processes that shape delivery

· adequate and dedicated service and change management, and capital project management

· an immediate response to the transformation opportunity - revenue carry forward will not be considered

· improvements in commissioning processes - including needs assessment and market development

· adequate financial and management information

· an adequate joint workforce strategy between the authority, healthcare partners and independent providers, with a corresponding capacity to robustly pursue the strategy

10 Implementation

10.1 Subject to support from partners and Members the following summarises the intended delivery schedule.

· Tenders for existing care support services, overnight short breaks and one long stay residential care service completed by January 2009 for services to be in place in April 2009. (June 2009 in the case of the long stay residential service)

· Tenders for new services, including extended services in special schools and a proposed information service, published by January 2009 to support a phased implementation of holiday care schemes commencing in July 2009 and other services within the offer commencing in September 2009

· Support the development of extended services in mainstream schools, colleges and youth services through extended services coordinators and youth services with additional funds to support additional care needs being available from 2009/10

11 Consultation

11.1 Consultation has been undertaken with representatives of the 3^rd sector, special school and primary school Headteachers and extended services coordinators.

11.2 Consultation has also been undertaken with parents, carers and other partners and stakeholders and the advice of the Council for Disabled Children and the Together for Disabled Children consultant has been taken. Voluntary Sector colleagues are included in project management arrangements and regular meetings are held with Alliance Members.

11.3 Briefings for service providers have been undertaken to support tendering arrangements

11.4 A focus group has been held for 30 parents and carers to consider the proposed commissioning approach and a further briefing for parents, carers and stakeholders is planned for November 2008.

11.5 Additional briefings for providers to support the intended extended services developments proposed in this report will be held later in 2008.

11.6 Work is underway with extended services coordinators and this will be expanded to include youth managers. District Council lead managers are engaged and Locality Partnerships are being briefed

11.7 The views of carers and parents in considering a draft commissioning plan are summarised below. These comments are direct quotes and in some cases further work is underway to explore the issues raised

· "Can you be clear about charging policies, including the used of DLA"

· "Can we have a concerted County approach to families knowing about and being supported to receive DLA"

· "Information is critical - all info- all services - all sectors. Currently it is poor/patchy"

· "We need to review all Universal Services for DDA compliance and publicise the information, to include improving the attitudes of staff"

· "Parents are tired of fighting, we need a system that is clear and that supports parents to understand their rights/entitlements"

· "The Direct Payments system is confusing, bureaucratic and inconsistent. Please sort this out. It needs to be developed - brokerage, Personal Assistant banks, stop using expensive agency staff and more liaison with other services."

· "Please use the wide range of charities/voluntary sector organisations available. Consider core funding costs of groups which are working well and replicating them across the county".

· "Sort out in-county and border county boundary issues"

· "Issues of criteria are critical - too many children seem to fall off the edges and get offered nothing"

· "Pass porting has dangers - particularly around children in mainstream schools - can we look at higher/middle rate DLA as well"

· "Can we work towards a clear minimum offer"

· "Workforce worries us! We want, a county-wide recruitment, campaign, a look at all resources, childminders, school staff etc to look at usage, a training programme for staff in universal services, to build on student/voluntary initiatives"

· "Ensure basic facilities are in place including changing facilities

· Don't reinvent the wheel, use existing facilities, e.g. QE Country Park"

· "Please sort out your relationship with Health"

· "We need a service that is responsive in a crisis and year round, inc holidays"

· "Transport is still an issue"

12 Outline of Options for developing short break services

12.1 Option 1:

To focus developments on an expansion of specialist services, such as overnight short breaks, accessed through a needs assessment and the application of eligibility criteria

12.2 Option 2:

To focus developments upon access to universal services

12.3 Option 3:

To provide an offer of targeted services backed by access to specialist services following a needs assessment.

13 Option Analysis

13.1 Option 1. Views obtained during consultation suggested that parents and carers appreciated specialist services, such as overnight short breaks, but that they would also value access to local services that provided more frequent breaks. They also reported that the application of eligibility criteria was confusing and that services were too limited to support their needs. Further developing specialist services accessed by way of a needs assessment would result in significant additional care management costs.

13.2 Option 2. Government guidance highlights the need to ensure that universal services are able to meet the needs of all disabled children and that there should be choice in how parents and carers could experience a short break. Whilst some children and young people may prefer to access a universal service, supported by additional care support if necessary, some would prefer to maintain friendship groups in their school setting or may feel more comfortable spending time with those with similar needs.

13.3 Option 3. Guidance proposes that those with complex needs should have access to additional support and that a wider range of services should be developed. Option 3 meets these criteria by maintaining and developing the existing pattern of specialist services accessed via a needs assessment and also by developing a broader range of services , which can be accessed without the need for additional assessments.

14 Financial impact

14.1 The grant made available to Hampshire from 2009/10 is shown in the following chart. Delivery arrangements and phased developments are being considered it is intended to confirm details as the budget for 2009/10 is developed.

	2008/9	2009/10	2010/11
Capital	0	£680,600	£1,588,100
Revenue	£70,000	£1,397,000	£4,506,500

15 Conclusions

15.1 The Aiming High service improvement programme, to develop better service opportunities for parents and carers of disabled children and young people, offers a significant opportunity to improve life chances for this vulnerable group.

15.2 The commissioning plan identified in this report takes account of the views of parents, carers and partners and proposes an offer of services that can be accessed without additional needs assessment and in many cases in universal services. It is necessary to offer some services that are specific to disabled children and young people in view of the complex needs of some and this can be achieved through extended services in special schools and in some cases through a needs assessment to access more specialist services.

15.3 The additional resources made available are limited and it is necessary to strike a balance between specialist services for the most vulnerable and an offer that can be accessed by a greater number without further needs assessment.

15.4 The approach outlined in this report provides a mechanism to continue to provide specialist services such as sitting services in the home and overnight short break services, accessed via a needs assessment, and also to promote access to local universal services and extended services in schools by funding the additional care supports required.

16 Summary Recommendations:

16.1 It is recommended that the Executive Member approve the commissioning plan to develop short break services

16.2 It is also recommended that the Executive Member approves that tenders be let for short break services and for an information service.

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION:

LINKS TO THE CORPORATE STRATEGY
			Yes	No
Hampshire safer and more secure for all
Corporate Business plan link no (if appropriate)
Maximising well-being
Corporate Business plan link no (if appropriate)
Enhancing our quality of place
Corporate Business plan link no (if appropriate)

OTHER SIGNIFICANT LINKS:
Links to Previous member decisions:
Title	Ref	Date
Aiming High for Disabled Children		4th May 2008
Direct Links to Specific Legislation or Government Directives
Title		Date
None

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background documents
The following documents discuss facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and have been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report. (NB: the list excludes published works and any documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.)
Document	Location
None