Warwickshire service aims high with extra support for disabled youngsters
Warwickshire County Council recently asked disabled children, young people and their families about their needs when it came to short breaks and activities.
The council’s Integrated Disability Service (IDS) has sought the views of hundreds of families, staff and service providers in Warwickshire in a consultation which began in April 2008 and is still continuing. They were asked for their vision of how short breaks for disabled children and their families should be delivered in the future.
The service ran the survey to help decide how the county can best use earmarked funds from the Government’s Aiming High for Disabled Children programme. The programme’s focus is on increasing the number of short breaks and activities which give disabled children and young people enjoyable experiences away from their families and offer breaks from caring responsibilities for parents and siblings. Funding can also be used for breaks and activities for the whole family.
Taking the consultation feedback on board, the IDS has come up with a shortlist of options and will be working with partners in the NHS and other services to start developing and improving suitable provision to meet people’s needs.
Top of the list of requests from parents was the provision of a ‘sitting’ service to provide home based care and support. Family activity days, more community short breaks one on one and in groups, support with transport, financial help for holidays and help to include disabled children in mainstream activities were also popular options requested by parents and young people alike.
These services will receive investment this year and increased funding in 2010, whilst other priorities such as children’s activity days out, special interest groups, family holiday breaks and buddying – friendship groups for disabled young people - will be further developed as the programme continues.
Lynne Barton, IDS Service Development Manager is leading the programme in Warwickshire, she said: “Aiming High for Disabled Children’ will increase the number and range of short breaks available to disabled children and young people living in the county so we welcome this opportunity for extra investment.
“Disabled young people and their families had some great ideas about developing service provision in Warwickshire and we have used their experiences of what has and hasn’t worked for them in the past to shape our priorities.
“The IDS has established a parents’ steering group which mirrors our leadership team, and a parent forum that meets regularly to discuss issues and provide support. These groups to help guide all service developments and ensure parent and carer voices are at the heart of the service. We will continue to work in this way to ensure that we continue to make the best use of the government funding and make a real difference to local families’ lives."
The Integrated Disability Service’s Parent and Carer Forum enables professionals and parents to meet regularly so that parents can be informed about services available to their children and have the chance to question the professionals face to face. Parents of children with disabilities are always welcome to join the group, please call 01926 742977 to find out more.