Consortium highlights barriers faced by disabled children

Forty-six organisations including Action for Children, Children in Northern Ireland, Mencap, Sure Start and Save the Children Ireland have signed up to the Children with Disabilities Strategic Alliance manifesto calling on the government to fund local services for children with disabilities. The manifesto aims to highlight issues faced by disabled children and young people including bullying, abuse and poverty.

Monica Wilson, chief executive of Disability Action and co-chair of the Children with Disabilities Strategic Alliance, said: "We realise that there are many competing demands on resources, however with this manifesto we are calling on the government to show leadership, determination and a willingness to invest in children with disabilities. In other jurisdictions, particularly England, substantial resources have been put directly into local services for children with disabilities. This shows it is possible if the government is willing."

David Purvis, chair of the All Party Assembly Group on Children and Young People said "Our All Party Groups will work to ensure the manifesto remain s firmly on the agenda of the Assembly's Executive Committees."

In England the Aiming High for Disabled Children strategy is delivering £430m to be spent by local authorities on services for disabled children from 2008 to 2011, after sustained lobbying by the Every Disabled Child Matters campaign group.