The following information came in an e-mail from Rajvinder.heer@dfes.gsi.gov.uk

A. Regulations and Guidance on the Children and Young Peoples Plan – DfES Consultation

The Children and Young People's Plan is an important element of the reforms underpinned by the Children Act 2004. On the basis of a new statutory duty the Government intends that all areas should produce a single, strategic, overarching plan for all local services to children and young people. This consultation seeks views on the Regulations and supporting guidance governing the plan.

This consultation closes on 6 June 2005. For the consultation document, see web http://www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/conDetails.cfm?consultationId=1294  

B. Duty on local authorities to promote the educational achievement of looked after children guidance - DfES Consultation

The Children Act 2004 places a new duty on local authorities to promote the educational achievement of looked after children. This consultation on the statutory guidance accompanying the duty describes the essential actions which local authorities are expected to take in order to raise the educational achievements of looked after children including those who are disabled .

The consultation closes 9 June 2005. For the consultation document, see web http://www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/conDetails.cfm?consultationId=1332   

C. Work and Families: Choice and Flexibility – DTI consultation

DTI are currently consulting on a range of proposals to give families more choice about how they balance their work and family life.

Chapter 5 of the consultation document is of particular interest in that it sets out the case for extending the right to request flexible working for parents with young or disabled children to other groups. Currently, flexible working is open to parents with disabled children under the age of 18 (receiving DLA) and to parents of non-disabled children up to the age of six.

It outlines how the new law has worked so far, including the benefits for children, families and businesses. It considers how the law might be extended to carers and/or parents with older non-disabled children and by implication could cover those disabled children not receiving DLA.

The closing date for the consultation is 25 May 2005. See web http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/workandfamilies.htm

D. Lead Professionals Guidance – DfES Consultation

As part of Every Child Matters and developing integrated services, lead professionals will play an important role leading on cases where children are known to more than one agency. This is especially important for disabled children who often require multi-agency support.

The draft guidance together and a number of questions posed are available from http://www.dfes.gov.uk/best/leadprofessional/index.cfm

Should you wish to respond to the questions, provide any other comments or obtain a hard copy of the document please email ali.bushell@dfes.gsi.gov.uk.

The consultation closes 4 April 2005.

E. Integrated Multi-agency Care Pathways for Children with Life-threatening and Life-limiting Conditions – Guidance from ACT

Funded by DoH, this document from ACT supports the development of integrated care pathways for children with all types of life-limiting or life-threatening conditions in all settings. The pathway aims to link children and families with community services, hospital-based services, social services, education and the voluntary sector in one joined up planning process. The pathway complements the existing exemplars produced for the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services (NSF).

To download the Care Pathway or Exemplar please see web

http://www.act.org.uk/resources/act_pathway.pdf

F. Diversity and Equality in Planning: A good practice guide – ODPM

Consideration of diversity should be at the heart of planning activities. This guide is a response to the need for guidance and underlines the Government's commitment to have planning policies that are relevant to the lives that people live today, and take into account the needs of all sections of society including disabled people.

For further information please see website.

G. Direct Payments: In the Driving Seat & My Money, My Way – Resource from SCOPE

Through DfES funding, SCOPE have produced a series of resources on raising awareness of Direct Payments. In the Driving Seat is a guide for parents and is accompanied by My Money, My Way, specifically targeted at young people. Also available are summaries from people using Direct Payments, both those parents/ carers with responsibility for a disabled child or from disabled young people themselves. 

For further info including downloads please see web

http://www.scope.org.uk/issues/directpayments/  

The downloads section on Direct Payments includes a summary of some of the barriers in providing them as perceived from Social Services. We would like to remind you of Direct experience: A guide for councils on the implementation of Direct Payments in children's services published by CDC.

See web http://www.ncb.org.uk/resources/res_detail.asp?id=713

H. BME disabled children – Mailing List

As part of a DfES funded project in order to identify good practice in services for BME disabled children, CDC have set up a mailing list to share and highlight this. As well as receiving news, members are invited to suggest items of interest be they publications, newspaper or journal articles, or related conferences etc, by sending summaries.

Please e-mail Justin Simon to be added to the list: JSimon@ncb.org.uk

I. Short Breaks Conference 12-13 April – Shared Care Network

Receiving funding from DfES, Shared Care Network are hosting their spring conference in April aimed at those involved in short breaks services for disabled children, including social workers, managers, short break carers and policy makers.

 Presentations & Workshops will cover

•         Diversifying services to meet local need.

•         Short breaks for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

•         Good Practice in Befriending.

•         Salaried Carers.

•         Inclusive play and leisure.

•         Participation of disabled children in decision making.

•         Short Breaks Services Role in implementing the NSF for disabled children.

•         Practical Considerations to help improve access to short break services for Black and minority ethnic children and their families.

There will also be the opportunity to take part in Open Forums - a chance for you to have topical discussions with other delegates in a structured way.

For full details please see web http://www.sharedcarenetwork.org.uk/scn/dynamic/scn60.shtml

J. Children’s Commissioner appointed

Professor Al Aynsley-Green has been appointed as England’s first Children’s Commissioner. He was appointed National Clinical Director for Children at the Department of Health in July 2001. He is currently the Nuffield Professor of Child Health at the Institute of Child Health, University College London, and at the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust.

For further information on the Commissioner’s roles and responsibilities and his biography please see web

http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/educationoverview/briefing/news/childrenscommissioner/

K. Jacqui Shurlock – New Disabled Children’s Team Leader

Jacqui Shurlock joined the disabled children team as team leader on 7 March.  Jacqui has worked in a number of policy areas across DWP and DfES.  Her previous role was strategy team leader, where she focussed on the development of Every Child Matters: Change for Children and established more effective ways of working across Government in support of the programme.

Jacqui is opening the Manchester conference in the series that is promoting the Disabled Children Standard of the NSF. She hopes this is the first of many opportunities to meet as many people out in the field as possible - something she is very much looking forward to