Event Details

“Involving parents at all levels of planning and developing services is the best way of creating cost effective and responsive services that work for families. They, after all, are the people at the sharp end of caring, and their opinions, ideas and input are critical to transforming services.”
— Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Children, Schools & Families, June 2009

“Understandably, some parents of disabled children are apprehensive about using childcare because of the unique and special requirements that their child has. That’s why I want to make sure that all families have access to high quality support which is most suitable for them. I’m delighted that we are rolling out the Disabled Children’s Access to Childcare Programme nationally following the successful pilots, helping to improve the lives and outcomes for disabled children. It will give parents the information and choice they need and staff the specialist training they require to make a real difference.”
— Children’s Minister, December 2009

Overview

In May 2007 the Government launched Aiming High for Disabled Children – a radical transformation programme for disabled children’s services. Underpinned by £430 million of funding over three years from 2008 to 2011, AHDC aims to achieve the Government’s vision that all disabled children and their families will have the support they need to live ordinary family lives, through delivering three priority areas:

• Access and Empowerment
• Responsive Services and Timely Support
• Improved Quality and Capacity

Targeting improved outcomes for disabled children and their families, the Government has injected £370m in to short break services and a further £35m into providing high quality affordable childcare in order to facilitate parental employment, enable important breaks from caring and provide children with the opportunity to develop new interests and relationships.

Acknowledging the need to provide a tailored, coherent and responsive system to strengthen services and support, the Government has sought to:

• Increase parent participation through parental forums
• Empower families through implementing a core offer and national indicator (NI54)
• Encourage greater partnership working between practitioners, parents and the third sector

This special symposium, hosted by The Centre for Parliamentary Studies provides an invaluable opportunity for practitioners and stakeholders to assess current progress in transforming disabled children’s services and identify ongoing gaps in provision that must be addressed. The afternoon session will assess how to make best use of available funding and improve access to affordable high quality childcare, short break carers and vital equipment in order to support families and enable children to fulfil their potential. Delegates will share innovative sustainable solutions, vital best practice and network with colleagues across the education, health and social services landscape.

Programme

Who Should Attend?

• Directors of Children’s Services
• Disability Practitioners
• Health Service Professionals, Care Providers and VCS
• Equal Opportunities Officers
• Local Authority Officers & Councillors
• Children’s Services & Families Services Officers
• Sure Start
• Children’s Trusts & Children’s Centres
• Early Years & Childcare Practitioners
• Child & Adolescent Mental Health Practitioners
• Child Psychologists
• PCT’s
• Teachers & Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators
• Local Education Authorities
• Education Providers
• Sports & Recreation Providers
• Extended Schools Advisors
• Social Workers & Social Services Officers
• Children & Youth Organisations
• Community Development Managers
• Social Exclusion & Neighbourhood Renewal Teams
• Welfare Rights Organisations
• DCSF, DWP, DoH & other Central Government Departments
• Equality, Diversity & Human Rights Practitioners
• Third Sector Practitioners
• Academics & Researchers