ITEM 7
BOROUGH OF POOLE
REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND EDUCATION
SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
29th JUNE 2004
MULTI-AGENCY REVIEW OF SERVICES FOR DISABLED CHILDREN
1.
PURPOSE OF REPORT
To inform members of the key messages from the Review and
proposed next steps to implement recommendations.
2.
ACTION REQUIRED
2.1
That the contents of the report be noted.
3.
BACKGROUND / INFORMATION
3.1.
The Multi-agency Review was commissioned by a range of statutory agencies
working with disabled children across Poole, Bournemouth and Dorset,
including Pupil and Parent Support, Children and Family Services and Poole
Primary Care Trust. Progress of the Review has been tracked through a
Multi-agency Steering Group, the Children and Young People’s Strategic
Partnership and interim findings were presented to January 6th Community
Support Overview Committee.
3.2.
A Final Report has been produced and accepted by the Review Steering
Group on 17th March. (Executive Summary Attached) A recommendation to
establish multi-agency planning structures was considered by a multi-agency
chief officers meeting on May 18th which agreed; to establish a strategic
planning group for Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole for disabled children, a
further implementation phase of the project (to April 2005) and the
continuation of the database which provides planning information on severely
disabled children.
4.
KEY MESSAGES FROM REVIEW
4.1.
The definition of severely disabled children used for the Review was;
Children with profound and severe disabilities (severe physical
disability / severe sensory loss), severe learning disability, autism and
those with long term life threatening illnesses. It does not cover
children who have a mental illness or behavioural disorder
4.2
The needs of disabled children are changing with an increase in the numbers
of children with autistic spectrum disorders and those with complex
medical/health needs.
Severely Disabled Children in Poole
459 of whom;
Autistic Spectrum Disorder
113
Complex Medical/Health Needs
66
Comparative data relating to the above information will be presented to the
Committee at the meeting on the 29th June 2004.
4.2.
4.3.
5.
From consultations, parents priorities for changing services are;

Better co-ordinated multi-agency services

A single key worker

Access to out of school and holiday activities

Better co-ordinated behaviour support services
Young disabled people’s priorities are;

Better understanding of disability by non-disabled people and help in
addressing bullying.

Access to leisure and play opportunities.

More choice at transition
MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1. Planning and Commissioning to be developed on a multi-agency basis for
disabled children with most complex needs.
5.2. Re-provision residential short break services with other short break services
to better meet need and to bring Health and Social Care resources under same
access route
5.3. Early Support improved through introduction of key working, service coordination and early emotional and practical support to families.
5.4. Behaviour support improved through better co-ordination of services
5.5. Participation by Young Disabled People- supporting the development of selfadvocacy groups and links to planning fora.
5.6. Out of school activities and access to leisure- developing a range of
provision which can be accessed by children with complex needs.
5.7. Service Integration- bringing together Health and Social Services children’s
occupational therapy services. Consider further integration of services (in
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context of Poole Children’s Services Review) Introduce single assessment and
care planning process.
5.8. SEN and schools- ensure multi-agency planning and agreements are part of
any re-provison/school developments for disabled children, increase access to
therapy services for disabled children in mainstream schools, increase
understanding of disability amongst staff and non-disabled peers.
5.9. Transition- introduction of person centred planning at Transition to adult
services with better co-ordination between key agencies.
6.
IMPLEMENTATION OF REVIEW
6.1.
A number of multi-agency working groups have been established to plan and
implement service improvements. All groups have parental involvement.
The Review recommendations will be considered as part of Poole’s Review of
Children’s Services.
6.2.
6.3.
Any changes planned as a result of the Review will need to be agreed
through the Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership and Poole’s
business planning and political approval processes.
Contact Officer:
Nick Wharam, Project Manager
Telephone No:
01929 557078
Date:
15th June 2004
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Executive Summary
About the Review
Terms of reference
 To conduct a comprehensive
review of the needs of disabled
children
 To produce a five year multiagency improvement plan
 To implement the initial phase of
the plan
Progress to date
 Project Manager recruited
 Interim report detailing issues and
option for change
 Consultation with young disabled
people and parents on findings
and options
 Final report produced
Needs Analysis
A multi-agency database of disabled
children has been compiled to inform
local and strategic planning. The
definition of disability for the review is
tightly focused;
Children with profound and severe
disabilities, severe and moderate
learning disability, autism (ASD and
Aspergers Syndrome) and children
with life threatening or life limiting
illnesses.
Key messages from database;
(2,495 children-Dorset, Bournemouth
and Poole)
 Rising numbers of children with
complex needs
 Rising numbers of children with
Autistic Spectrum Disorder
 Potential to plan informed by need
Consultation with young disabled
people
Key messages
 They want their peers, teachers
and the public to have better
understanding of disability.
 They do not want to be bullied
because of their disability and want
support from adults and peers
 They want the same access to
leisure opportunities, activities with
friends as their non-disabled peers
 They want to be heard- in
individual planning and in service
planning. They wanted access to
self-advocacy groups and to work
with non-disabled peers.
Consultation
Carers
with
Parents
and
Key Messages
 Parents fully support the range of
recommendations made in this
Report.
 They want effective key working
and Care Co-ordination
 They want access to information,
emotional and practical support
especially in Early Years
 They want more holiday, after
schools and weekend support
through day care and playschemes
etc.
 Parents want effective behaviour
management services that can
work in the home.
 They want availability of leisure
activities for children with complex
needs.
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RecommendationsKey Principles to be adopted;
 Maximum inclusion supported by
specialist services
 Preventative focus with early
identification and intervention
 Clear key working arrangements
 Single, integrated
processes
assessment
 Child and family focused services
which are effective
 Services focused on need not
service led and delivered as locally
as possible.
 Family empowered to
maximum control of care
have
 Person centred, well co-ordinated,
smooth transition to adult services
 Strategic planning involving young
people and parents based on
accurate analysis of need.
 Parents and young people fully
involved in individual planning and
planning service developments.
Increased participation by young
disabled people and their parents in
individual planning and planing
forums.
Support for self-advocacy
groups
Multi-agency strategic planning for
disabled children supported by new
commissioning group.
Improved data collection and
sharing
maintain database of
severely disabled children
Multi-disciplinary
working
and
service integration by combining
social services and health therapy
services,
pooling
of
equipment
budgets, closer links between Child
and
Adolescent
Mental
Health
services and specialist disability
services.
Early
Years
support
through
emotional and practical support
workers,
improving
social
care
assessment and implementation of
Together from the Start Guidance.
Access to Short Term Breaks and
Leisure Activities- developing holiday
playschemes for complex needs,
opportunities for teenagers, more use
of Direct Payments, development of
more over night respite care focussed
on most disabled.
Behavioural Support- clearer care
pathways for autism and attention
deficit disorder, team approach to
behaviour management including ‘in
home’ support
Joint
Training
on
disability
awareness- for teachers and other
staff
to
support
inclusion
in
mainstream schools and in community
settings.
Transition to adulthood- multiagency team approach. Introduction of
person centred planning for young
people.
Sensory Loss- combining Social
Services rehabilitation service with
Education support service.
Health Appointments –arranging
Health appointments to be more child
and family friendly
Service Co-ordination through;
Single assessment process
One ‘family care plan’
One care co-ordinator
Parent held record
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Next Steps
Interim Report Recommendations accepted and
Project Manager for Implementation phase appointed
Final Report presented to partner agencies
Final Report published
Draft
Improvement
Plan
based
on
Review
recommendations to Chief Officers of Partner
Agencies, work plan for service priorities agreed
Agreement of Improvement Plan by all agencies
Progress against Implementation Plan Reviewed
Jan 2004
April 2004
April 2004
May 2004
Sept 2004
Jan 2005
The Implementation Plan will need to go through various strategic planning groups
within each partner agency for agreement and detailed planning but work on priority
service improvements will start immediately. These are;
Priority Service Improvements
Supporting participation- of young disabled people and parents in planning and
service development.
Service co-ordination- introducing care co-ordination, single assessments and
‘family plans’
Behaviour co-ordination- ensuring that children who need help with their behaviour
have a co-ordinated multi-agency service.
Early support – providing early emotional and practical support to families.
Increasing access to out of school activities- providing more opportunities for
disabled children to access holiday play schemes, Saturday clubs and leisure
activities.
Improving residential short break provision- developing the short break
provision to better match the needs of children and families.
School/ Special Educational Needs- ensuring that disabled children have the range
of multi-disciplinary services and appropriate school environment to achieve their
potential.
Some developments need to take place to support service improvements these are;
Planning and commissioning- putting in place structures so that agencies can
commission services and plan together.
The multi-agency database prepared for the Review will be maintained and
developed.
The implementation of the Review will be supported by a project manager and
assistant up to April 2005.
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