CYP Now - Legislation review is an opportunity to remove barriers to social care support

The Law Commission consultation paper on disabled children’s social care legislation creates a welcome opportunity to address some of the longstanding barriers to disabled children and their families accessing the support they need when they need it.

Caroline Coady is deputy director at the Council for Disabled Children, part of the National Children’s Bureau

But what do the proposals mean for practice, and where are the biggest risks of unintended consequences?

The challenge

We all require some kind of support to meet our social care needs, we all have the right to feel safe in our homes and communities, and to be involved in education, employment, leisure and creative activities.

For many children and young people, that support is provided by friends, family, and community groups or activities. But for disabled children there can be significant barriers to accessing these sources of support, and it may be necessary for provision to be put in place through social care services. Most families with disabled children will encounter these barriers due to support needs arising from their child’s disability. However, as with all children, the environment and circumstances which a child is raised in, including physical, societal and financial barriers, can impact their wellbeing and everyday lives; this can lead to some form of social care assessment and sometimes intervention and support.

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