Campaigners said that families with disabled children were missing out on significant amounts of benefits due to bureaucracy and a lack of information.
Source: Gabrielle Preston with Mark Robertson, Out of Reach: Benefits for disabled children, Child Poverty Action Group (020 7837 7979), Contact a Family and One Parent Families
Links: Summary | CPAG press release | EDCM press release | Community Care report
Date: 2006-Dec
A private member's Bill was introduced dealing with the assessment and delivery of short breaks and respite care for carers of disabled children.
Source: Disabled Children (Family Support) Bill, Gary Streeter MP, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard
Date: 2006-Dec
A report highlighted the difficulties of combining paid work with care for disabled children. It recommended better access for disabled children to after-school and holiday care; a review of benefits for parent carers; and a recognition of the needs of parent carers within local economic development and social inclusion policies.
Source: Bernadette Stiell, Lucy Shipton and Sue Yeandle, Caring for Sick or Disabled Children: Parents experiences of combining work and care, Carers UK (020 7566 7626) and Contact a Family
Links: Report | Summary | Carers UK press release
Date: 2006-Nov
Campaigners highlighted the 'shambolic' state funding system for buying specialist equipment for sick, disabled, and terminally ill children across England. In some areas primary care trusts had spent nothing, or very little, on equipment such as wheelchairs, specially adapted beds, and hoists.
Source: It?s Not Too Much To Ask, BDF Newlife (01543 468888)
Links: Report | BDF press release | FPLD report | BBC report
Date: 2006-Nov
A report said that 68 per cent of parents of disabled children had not had access to materials that explained their child s impairment, making it impossible to communicate with the child about how they were feeling and why they felt that way.
Source: Penny Dickinson, Sharing Information with Disabled Children in the Early Years, Scope (020 7619 7341)
Links: Report | Scope press release
Date: 2006-Nov
A study aimed to identify: the ways in which fathers of a child with a learning disability contributed to family life; the problems fathers had experienced in using services or in receiving help in their caring role; and the needs and wishes of fathers in relation to developing father friendly support. There was a need for greater recognition of the important role that fathers played in caring for children with a learning disability, and for this to be reflected in the policy and practice of support to families.
Source: Christine Towers and Paul Swift, Recognising Fathers: Understanding the issues faced by fathers of children with a learning disability, Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities (020 7802 0300)
Links: Report | Summary | FPLD press release
Date: 2006-Nov
A report from an ad hoc cross-party group of MPs called for action from government to improve services for disabled children. It said that there was widespread dissatisfaction with existing levels of provision, and called for additional resources, improved targets and inspection frameworks, and new entitlements to support for families.
Source: Parliamentary Hearings on Services for Disabled Children, Parliamentary Hearings on Services for Disabled Children, c/o Council for Disabled Children (020 7843 6000)
Links: Report | Summary | PHSDC press release | Community Care report
Date: 2006-Oct
A report said that a significant number of children had some level of language or communication difficulty: up to 10 per cent of all children had a long-term persistent communication disability, and upwards of 50 per cent of children on school entry had more transient difficulties. Without solid foundations in language and communication skills, children ran the risk of school failure, low self-esteem, and poor social skills. The report examined the cost of poor communication skills to the individual, the family, and to society as a whole.
Source: The Cost to the Nation of Children s Poor Communication, I CAN (0845 225 4071)
Links: Report | BBC report
Date: 2006-Oct
Researchers confirmed the potential of an integrated approach to multiple assessments for children with significant and complex health needs and/or disabilities; and the value of flexibility (rather than one particular model) in responding to local circumstances and needs.
Source: Janet Boddy, Patricia Potts and June Stratham, Models of Good Practice in Joined-up Assessment: Working for children with significant and complex needs , Research Report RW79, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Date: 2006-Sep
A new campaign group said that the government s national childcare strategy was failing disabled children, with provision 'neither fit for purpose nor affordable'. Although the Childcare Act 2006 placed a duty on local councils to provide childcare for disabled children, this would mean nothing without extra government funding.
Source: Between a Rock and a Hard Place, Every Disabled Child Matters (020 7843 6448)
Links: Briefing | EDCM press release | Community Care report
Date: 2006-Sep
Researchers examined the extent to which the 'Early Support' programme had improved inter-agency working between children s services. It found that, overall, Early Support was a 'very successful programme'. (Early Support is designed to enhance child and family outcomes for disabled children from birth to three years.)
Source: Alys Young et al., Early Support: An Evaluation of Phase 3 of Early Support, Research Report 798, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report | Brief | Appendices
Date: 2006-Sep
An article examined work concerning the participation of disabled children within decision-making regarding their own care and in-service development. The participation of disabled children needed further development, including more evidence on which factors could support and promote disabled children s effective participation.
Source: Anita Franklin and Patricia Sloper, 'Participation of disabled children and young people in decision making within social services departments: a survey of current and recent activities in England', British Journal of Social Work, Volume 36 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Jul
The disability rights watchdog said that schools, children?s centres and youth services should have higher expectations of children with disabilities. Disabled young people at age 16 were twice as likely not to be in any form of education, employment or training as their non-disabled peers - due to a vicious circle of low aspirations and decreasing life chances.
Source: The Surest Start: Improving the life chances of young disabled people, Disability Rights Commission (08457 622633)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-May
A report said that the National Health Service was failing to provide adequate wheelchairs for disabled children. A chronic lack of funds and inconsistent provision meant that children's needs were going unmet.
Source: Neera Sharma with Jan Morrison, Don't Push Me Around! Disabled children?s experiences of wheelchair services in the UK, Barnardo?s (01268 520224) and Whizz-Kidz
Links: Report | Barnardo's press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-May
The High Court rejected arguments that the quality of life of a severely disabled baby boy was so poor that he should be allowed to die.
Source: The Guardian, 16 March 2006
Links: Guardian report | BBC report | BMA press release
Date: 2006-Mar
An article outlined the findings of a qualitative study with 20 families each of whom had a disabled child who had recently been awarded disability living allowance. It examined the impact this additional income had had on their lives.
Source: Gabrielle Preston, 'Families with disabled children, benefits and poverty', Benefits, Volume 14 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Feb
A Member of Parliament brought in a Bill to give disabled children the right to a local authority assessment and to receive services; give disabled children and their families the right to short breaks and respite care; and require National Health Service bodies to work co-operatively with local authorities to promote the health and welfare of disabled children in England and Wales, and enhance the delivery of services such as speech and language therapy.
Source: Disabled Children's Assessment and Services Bill, Ed Balls MP, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Bill | Hansard
Date: 2006-Feb
A study investigated how disabled children were included in play in a sample of schools, and identified organizational, social, and physical barriers to their inclusion in play at both playtimes and lunch-times. It also highlighted areas of good practice.
Source: Helen Woolley with Marc Armitage, Julia Bishop, Mavis Curtis and Jane Ginsborg, Inclusion of Disabled Children in Primary School Playgrounds, National Children s Bureau (020 7843 6029) for Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Links: Findings
Date: 2006-Jan