A report examined the organization of pathfinders offering short breaks for families with disabled children.
Source: Rob Greig, Philippa Chapman, Amanda Clayson, Chris Goodey and Dave Marsland, Short Breaks Pathfinder Evaluation, Research Report RR062, Department for Education
Links: Report | DE press release | CDC press release | Contact a Family press release | Mencap press release | Children & Young People Now report | Community Care report
Date: 2010-Dec
A report said that existing systems for disabled children and their families were confusing and disempowering, and that they led to waste and unfairness. Instead it proposed that a 'personalized pathway' be developed from birth through to adulthood – putting families in control and offering co-ordination and support through appropriate public bodies.
Source: Pippa Murray, A Fair Start: A personalised pathway for disabled children and their families, Centre for Welfare Reform/Health Services Management Centre
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Nov
A briefing paper examined what the measures in the coalition government's 2010 Spending Review would mean for disabled children.
Source: Spending Review 2010: What It Means for Disabled Children, Every Disabled Child Matters
Links: Briefing | EDCM press release | Mencap press release
Date: 2010-Nov
An article examined the experience of services by disabled parents and their families. Difficulties in gaining access to support services were exacerbated wherever disability was articulated as an impairment and associated with a need for 'care'.
Source: Harriet Clarke, 'Supporting parents to support family life: a central challenge for family minded policy', Social Policy and Society, Volume 9 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Oct
An article examined the impact of childhood disability on brothers and sisters in the family. Siblings experienced 'disability by association' due to the interactive effect of living with a disabled brother or sister.
Source: Peter Burke, 'Brothers and sisters of disabled children: the experience of disability by association', British Journal of Social Work, Volume 40 Number 6
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Sep
An evaluation of pilots of individual budgets for families with disabled children found that securing education funding had been particularly difficult, and that getting significant investment from primary care trusts had also proved challenging.
Source: Meera Prabhakar, Graham Thom and Rhian Johnson, Individual Budgets for Families with Disabled Children: Interim Report 2010, Research Report RR024, Department for Education
Links: Report | Children & Young People Now report | Community Care report
Date: 2010-Aug
A report said that too many parents of disabled children were being told that they did not qualify for short breaks. Although the levels and quality of short breaks had improved, more needed to be done to ensure that regular, reliable, and appropriate short breaks were available.
Source: Helen Davies, No Going Back! Parents expectations of short breaks, Every Disabled Child Matters
Links: Report | EDCM press release | Children & Young People Now report | Community Care report
Date: 2010-Jul
A survey examined the living standards of families with disabled children. More than half the families had borrowed money from family and friends, and more than 40 per cent had applied for charity grants.
Source: Elaine Bennett, Counting the Costs 2010: The financial reality for families with disabled children, Contact a Family
Links: Report | CAF press release | EDCM press release | Community Care report | BBC report
Date: 2010-Jul
Researchers examined a pilot designed to improve the range and quality of childcare for families of disabled children, focusing on the issues of parent participation and workforce development.
Source: Patricia Jessiman et al., Disabled Children s Access to Childcare (DCATCH): Process evaluation of participation and workforce development activity in the DCATCH pilots, Research Report RR013, Department for Education
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Jul
An article examined the social and household circumstances of disabled children, comparing these where appropriate to those of non-disabled children. Disabled children were more likely to live with low income, deprivation, debt, and poor housing. This was particularly the case for disabled children from black/minority-ethnic/mixed-parentage groups and lone-parent households. Childhood disability was associated with lone parenthood and parental disability and these associations persisted when social disadvantage was controlled for.
Source: Clare Blackburn, Nick Spencer and Janet Read, 'Prevalence of childhood disability and the characteristics and circumstances of disabled children in the UK: secondary analysis of the Family Resources Survey', BMC Pediatrics, Volume 10
Links: Article | Abstract | Warwick University press release | Guardian report
Date: 2010-Apr
A study examined the costs incurred by children's services departments in providing short breaks to disabled children and their families.
Source: Lisa Holmes, Samantha McDermid and Joe Sempik, The Costs of Short Break Provision, Research Report RR224, Department for Children, Schools and Families
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Mar
Researchers examined the impact of short break provision on families with disabled children. Short breaks had positive impacts on the lives of disabled children (as well as those of the parents); benefits included developing and maintaining social relationships and being able to enjoy fun activities.
Source: Susanne Langer et al., A Report on Themes Emerging from Qualitative Research into the Impact of Short Break Provision on Families with Disabled Children, Research Report RR221, Department for Children, Schools and Families
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Mar
The inspectorate for education and children's services published a report highlighting the factors that contributed to good outcomes for children in need in a range of different types of early years and childcare settings – including support for children with disabilities, and speech and language problems.
Source: Children in Need in Childcare: A survey of good practice, HMI 080248, Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills
Links: Report | OFSTED press release | Children & Young People Now report
Date: 2010-Mar
A survey examined parental satisfaction with services for disabled children. The overall national indicator of satisfaction for 2009-10 was 61 out of 100, a rise from 59 out of 100 since 2008-09.
Source: Becky Hamlyn, Catherine Grant, Barry Fong and Jessica Moran, Parental Experience of Services for Disabled Children: Findings from the second national survey, Research Report RR216, Department for Children, Schools and Families
Date: 2010-Mar
A report examined the social and economic value created by short breaks for disabled children and their families. It said that short breaks could save the state £174 million each year, through a reduction in carer stress and the prevention of long-term residential placements due to avoidable family breakdown.
Source: Nef Consulting, The Social and Economic Value of Short Breaks, Action for Children/Every Disabled Child Matters
Links: Report | DCSF press release | Community Care report
Date: 2010-Feb