Archived decisions

COUNCIL MEETING, 22 NOVEMBER 2007

REPORT OF THE

EXECUTIVE LEAD MEMBER FOR CHILDREN'S SERVICES (EDUCATION)

AND EXECUTIVE MEMBER FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

EVERY DISABLED CHILD MATTERS - LOCAL AUTHORITY CHARTER

1 The `Every Disabled Child Matters' campaign was established by four leading organisations working with disabled children and their families - Contact a Family, Council for Disabled Children, Mencap and the Special Educational Consortium. The purpose of the campaign is to challenge elected representatives and policy makers to the aspirations of the Every Child Matters campaign to disabled children. The campaign objectives are for families with disabled children to have ordinary lives; disabled children to matter as much as all other children; disabled children and their families to be fully included in society; all disabled children and their families to get the right services and support; poverty amongst disabled children and their families to be cut by 50% by 2010 and eliminated by 2020; an education system that meets the needs of each child and enables them to reach their full potential and disabled children and their families to shape the way that services are planned, commissioned and delivered.

2 To raise the profile of disabled children within local authorities, the `Every Disabled Child Matters' campaign has launched a Local Authority Charter. This was produced with the support of Children Now Magazine and asks local authorities to commit to providing a range of services for disabled children and their families by January 2008 and also to address the needs of disabled children in their strategic planning and Local Authority Agreements. The Campaign is very high profile nationally and every local authority is being asked to show their commitment to disabled children by signing-up. Local authorities are already required to address most of the issues in the Charter through law and guidance. The Charter lists nine commitments to be delivered by January 2008. The County Council already provides a wide range of good services and support to disabled children, young people and their families. This was highlighted in the recent Joint Area Review. The Review said, the Charter poses a number of challenges and it is a `benchmark tool' to enable services to be improved as part of the JAR Action Plan. The Executive Member for Children and Families has approved signing-up to the Charter and agreed an Action Plan in response to implementing the nine commitments identified, together with a Communication Strategy. The Strategy is an important element and is intended to inform parents, carers and young people on progress and is to engage all County Council departments and partners in the action plan. Copies of the Executive Member report on the Every Disabled Child Matters - Local Authority Charter and Action Plan are available in the Members' Rooms.

3 The decisions confirm the County Council's commitment to disability and particularly support to families where there is a disabled child. Also, the decisions will encourage partner and other appropriate agencies to ensure that whatever services they are providing they include disabled children. This supports the Council's Corporate Priorities.

DAVID KIRK PATRICIA BANKS

Executive Lead Member for Executive Member for

Children's Services (Education) Children and Families