Education & Children's Services

  • Interim Report of Bercow Review
    • Children and young people must be given the support they need to overcome speech, language and communications difficulties so they enjoy the same opportunities to learn, socialise and succeed as anyone else, according to an interim report presented by John Bercow MP to the Secretaries of State for Health and for Children, Schools and Families. Over 2,000 people responded to the Review's consultation, with almost 1,000 responses from families. Some families feel their children are not a priority for local services and they have to struggle to obtain help. Information can be hard to find and services hard to access. Many feel agencies do not work together effectively or share a common language. Others found it difficult to maintain continuous support, especially as some professionals are stretched for time and resources - while others don't have the training to step in. John Bercow's final report, with recommendations to Government, will be published in July 2008.
  • Review on Confidence in SEN Assessments
    • The Department of Children, Schools and Families has set the terms of reference for Brian Lamb, RNID director, to lead an inquiry into how best to increase parental confidence in the special educational needs (SEN) assessment system. The Inquiry started its work in March. It will provide a report in June 2008 on the commissioning of the innovative projects and initial areas of focus for the Inquiry. The projects will run for the school year September 2008 - July 2009 and an evaluation will run concurrently. The final report will be submitted in September 2009.
  • Top Tips for Participation Poster
    • Disabled children from Generate UK and 1 Voice have teamed up with the Council for Disabled Children (CDC) and Participation Works to produce a poster as part of the ‘Making Ouselves Heard’ project. ‘Top Tips for Participation’ shows the key areas that young disabled people feel could be changed to make a positive impact on their lives. See www.ncb.org.uk/Page.asp?originx_666ui_67604737284116e48a_200835330g  
  • ADHD online training resource
    • Barnados has launched a new ADHD e-learning awareness programme, designed to help professionals understand the impact ADHD has on children and parents. The programme highlights basic general techniques and strategies to deal with handling this difficult issue when it is present in the professional environment. http://www.barnardos.org.uk/tlc/seu_learning/learning/tlc-elearningadhd.htm  
  • New Guide to Creating Accessible Play Environments
    • KIDS has published ‘Inclusion by Design’, which focuses on how inclusive design and management can be applied within a range of play and childcare settings. It can be ordered, price £20 (£10 for voluntary groups and individuals) from KIDS NDD, 6 Aztec Row, Berners Road, London N1 0PW. Tel: 020 7359 3073 or publications.ndd@kids.org.uk  
  • Report on Breaks for Children with Autism
    • A report, published by Shared Care Network, shows that regular short breaks help overcome many of the difficulties faced by children with autism and their families. It also shows that nationally there is a desperate need for more carers to provide short breaks to children with autism. The "Breaking Down the Barriers" report is based on a survey of families of children with autism who are linked to short break carers in their communities. Short break carers are ordinary people who look after a disabled child on a regular basis. This can be anything from an evening-a-week to a weekend-a-month. The report is available on www.sharedcarenetwork.org.uk
  • MPs call for action on child poverty
    • In a report ‘The best start in life?’ MPs on the Work & Pensions Committee say government needs to accelerate efforts to end child poverty, particularly for groups most at risk including disabled children and their families. MPs were 'particularly concerned by evidence that 1 in 5 families with a disabled child have had to cut back on food' due to lack of money. The report can be seen on www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmworpen/42/4202.htm
  • New Website for Professionals Working With Disabled Children
    • A Disability Toolkit website has been developed by The Children's Society to help professionals working with disabled children and young people. The interactive website is designed as a one-stop information hub that are needed by professionals supporting disabled children in decision-making and participation activities. See www.disabilitytoolkit.org.uk  
  • Local Authority Duty to Provide Information
    • From the beginning of April, local authorities will have a duty to provide information, advice and assistance to parents and prospective parents of children and young people up to age 20 under section 12 of the Childcare Act 2006. This will include providing parents of disabled with information on the services, facilities and publications that are available to them. Guidance on meeting this responsibility has been issued, see www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/_files/221012DCSFinfassgweb.pdf
  • Parents for Children
    • Parents for Children is a charity that finds permanent homes for children who are disabled and have complex needs who are not able to stay with their birth families. They have found that the children’s needs are often best met by other families who have experience of disability and would be pleased to hear from anyone with such a background who is interested in fostering or adoption. Contact Parents for Children, 3 Angelgate, 326 City Road, London EC1V 2PT. Tel: 020 7520 2880 or see www.parentsforchildren.org.uk  
  • Martial Arts Helps at Staffordshire School
    • Pupils at Maple Hayes School in Lichfield have developed better coordination and confidence through weekly martial arts lessons in Aikido, Budo and Kenjutso. The school specialises in teaching children with dyslexia, who often have problems with physical coordination that can lead to lower self esteem. The martial arts sessions are reported to have developed the children’s confidence.
  • Short Breaks for Disabled Children
    • The government has announced the start of a 3 year programme to transform short break services for disabled children and the local areas that will launch the first wave of a £370m investment that will extend to all of England from 2009. The first areas will be Bradford, Bolton, Bournemouth/Dorset/Poole, Brighton, Dudley, Derbyshire, Enfield, Gloucestershire, Gateshead, Halton, Kent, North Yorkshire, North Tyneside, Nottinghamshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Sutton, Sunderland and Telford & Wrekin. The breaks will vary in length from just a few hours to a weekend or week, with disabled children and young people being cared for in their own home or given opportunities to access activities and places in the wider community. The ‘Aiming High for Disabled Children’ review found that short breaks are seen as the highest priority service for families with disabled children. For information see www.dcsf.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id_2008_0007  
  • Boost for Disabled Teenagers
    • Severely disabled young people and their families living on a low income are going to get extra financial support to buy the things they need for everyday life, thanks to an £8.4 million boost for the Family Fund from the Department of Children, Schools, and Families (DCSF). The extra cash will enable the Family Fund to extend its support to severely disabled young people in England aged 16 and 17. The Fund had not previously been able to help young people past their sixteenth birthday.
  • New Guide for Disabled Students
    • Into Higher Education 2008, just published by Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities, combines real life experiences, with a wealth of information and resources for current and potential students in the UK. The full-colour, 100-page guide, which comes out in September each year, addresses the specific concerns of students with an impairment or medical condition, as well as the general issues of applying for and adjusting to higher education. Into Higher Education 2008 is available price £15.00 for professionals and £2.50 for disabled students.  Alternative formats are available on request. Call Sylvia Charlton on 020 7450 0620 or go to Skill’s online bookshop www.skill.org.uk/shop/shop.asp