Contact: Howard Firth, Strategic Service Manager

Telephone: 01962 847278 - Email address: [email protected]

1 Summary

1.1 The purpose of this report is to set out a framework within which, the elements of a strategy for disabled children and their families will be developed. It also identifies the key priorities we need to jointly commission with Hampshire PCT. The strategy needs to be read in conjunction with the Hampshire Children and Young Peoples Plan, Special Educational Needs (SEN) Policy and the Hampshire County Inclusion Policy

2 Recommendations

2.1 The following decision is sought:

That the Executive Member for Children and Families

a) Approves the Children's Services Priorities for Disabled Children 2008-2011 and the framework within which, a strategy will be developed.

b) Agrees to receive future reports, within which a strategy for disabled children will be developed.

3 Context

3.1 Hampshire County Council want all children to have the best start in life and the ongoing support they and their families need to fulfil their potential. To enable this to be realised this strategy builds on the framework already in place through the Hampshire Disabled Children and Young People's Strategy Group and sets the intentions and priorities for the Children's Services Department for the next three years.

3.2 The framework reflects the government's Aiming High for Disabled Children programme and supports Hampshire's sign up to the Local Authority Charter.

3.3 Client Focus: Nationally the number of disabled young people has risen significantly throughout the last 10 years. This is mirrored in Hampshire through data that highlights an increase in both case numbers and severity of disability of young people accessing specialist children's teams. National guidance and research also shows that:

· 8 out of 10 families with a disabled child describe themselves as at `breaking point'

· 55% of disabled children grow up in families with a low income

· The overall cost for bringing up a disabled child is three times greater than those for a child who is not disabled

· Disabled children/young people are six times more likely to have a mental health problem

· Disabled young people twice as likely at 16 not to be in education or employment (three times as likely at age 19)

· Disabled children are more likely to live in a lone parent household

3.4 Nationally there are 510,000 disabled children of which 100,000 have complex healthcare needs and need support from a wide range of services. In Hampshire this equates to 1000 young people with complex needs.

3.5 This group of children and their families are the focus of this strategy. These young people are

"For the purposes of this part, a child is disabled if he has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial or long term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal, day to day activities and in this part-development means physical, intellectual, social or behavioural development and health means physical or mental health"

(Amendment to Children Act 1989)

3.6 Principles underpinning the priorities:

"Aiming High for Disabled Children: Better Support for Parents 2007"

· Families with disabled children and young people to have ordinary lives

· Disabled children to matter as much as other children

· Disabled children and their families to be fully included in society

· Disabled children and their families to shape the way that services are planned, commissioned and delivered

· Disabled children access education that meets the needs of each child and enables them to reach their full potential

· Disabled children have the right services at the right time in the least intrusive way

· Disabled children move smoothly into adulthood with changes in support services planned and known in advance

· Services delivered by Hampshire staff in mainstream and specialist service who are confident and able to work with all disabled children and young people

· To fully value the contribution of the voluntary sector in service development and delivery.

· To enable disabled children and their families to exercise power and control over their lives and to participate fully within their local community.

3.7 Vision for disabled children and their families-Aiming High For Disabled Children: Better Support For Families 2007.

By 2011 disabled children and young people in Hampshire should have full opportunities and choices to improve their quality of life and be respected and included as equal members of society. Therefore our aim will be:

· To provide co-ordinated help and support to disabled children and their families and to make it easier to know what services are available and to access them

· To provide a `core offer' (charter outcomes) which encompasses minimum standards of information, transparency of delivery; coordination and feedback

3.8 Young people's vision-Aiming High National Consultation Exercise 2007:

The Young People's vision is for disabled children to live normal lives. The quotes below come from young disabled people who took part in the national consultation:

· "More help for my parents; my mum finds it exhausting and gets tired a lot"

· "Real job prospects"

· "I'd like a girlfriend"

· "I would like to go out with my mates in the evening or shopping for clothes"

· "I would like to change myself into a rock star, I would be a drummer, my hair would be spiky and I would be a brilliant singer"

3.9 Parents/carers vision-Aiming High National Consultation Exercise 2007:

The parents vision is for families where there is a disabled child, not to have to fight for services

· "That we as parents didn't have to fight for our children to access all the things that other children take for granted. Most of all, for them not to be classed as second class citizens"

· "Not finding out about services by chance"

· "To streamline the dreadful bureaucracy, we parents have to deal with... I want to speak to one key person"

3.10 Legislative framework underpinning the strategy:

· Aiming High for Disabled Children: Better Support for Families 2007

· Children Act 2004

· Children Act 1989

· The National Services Framework for Children and Young People and Maternity Services 2004 (Standard 8)

· Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People 2004

· The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 - 2005

· The SEN and Disability Act 2000

· Together from the start - Practical guidance for professionals working with disabled children.

· The Hampshire CYPP 2006 - 2009

· The Carers and Disabled Children's Act 2000

3.11 Strategic objectives 2008 - 2011:

The strategy for improving outcomes for disabled children and their families is comprised of a number of key elements which include:

· Developing accurate needs assessment.

· Reviewing existing provision and resources.

· Care management and assessment including the potential for integration with NHS.

· Future service framework and areas of service development.

· Performance Management.

3.12 Evaluating and reviewing the strategy:

· This will be underpinned by a set of National/Local performance indicators designed in partnership with young people and families

· There will be ongoing monitoring through the Disabled Children's Strategy Group. This multi-disciplinary group with key partners from the PCT/CSD/school/voluntary sector and parents meet on a two monthly basis and will review all aspects of the strategy.

· The PIDcS (Parents Influencing Disabled Children's Services) group working with voluntary sector partners will undertake an annual review of strategy progress. This will be shared with parents through the Joint Information Link newsletter.

· Through reports to Executive Member and the Joint Commissioning Group on key elements of the strategy..

· Through ongoing feedback from young people through schools' councils and focus groups. This will be published in an annual review for children.

· Through area based workshops with parents run by our third sector parties.

4. Reason

4.1 The decision supports the corporate priorities:

· "Making Hampshire safer and more secure for all by enabling disabled children to have greater inclusion and involvement within their local community

· Maximising well-being by ensuring every disabled child can have the best possible start in life and the support they and their families need to make equality of opportunity a reality.

· Enhancing our quality of place through developing opportunities for all citizens to be included within their local community."

5. Consultation

5.1 Establishing these priorities has been enabled through extensive consultation with PCT and Third sector partners.

5.2 They have also been identified by parent representation through the Parents Influencing Disabled Children's Services Group (PIDcS).

5.3 At a national level, the Council for Disabled Children consortium in partnership with Families have identified 12 priorities as the key to the radical improvement of services for disabled children and their families.

5.4 The strategic priorities will provide Hampshire County Council with the unique opportunity to address these priorities through:

· Access and empowerment

· Responsive services and timely support

· Improving quality and capacity

6. Legal implications

6.1 None

7. Personnel implications

7.1 None

8. Financial implications

8.1 The government is to allocate £340 million as a priority within the current spending review to support "Aiming High For Disabled Children: better support for families". Any financial implication should be met within this allocated funding stream.

9. Impact Assessment

9.1 Race and Equality impact assessment has been considered in the development of this report and no adverse impact has been identified.

10. Crime prevention issues

10.1 The report will support the county council's obligations under section 17, Crime and Disorder Act by supporting the "better integration of young people within their local communities".

11. Views of the Local County Councillor

11.1 As the report refers to services for disabled children/young people and their families county wide the views of individual councillors were not sought. However, discussions have taken place with the scrutiny committee on key priorities within the strategy.

12. Conclusion

12.1 Approving the strategic priorities will confirm the Authority's commitment to Aiming High for Disabled Children. It will also confirm our support to improve the outcomes for all disabled children and their families.

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.

None