As part of a package of measures put forward by the Department of Health last week, children in need of continuing care will be offered tailor-made funding through individual budgets for the first time.
The proposed National Framework for Assessing Children and Young People's Continuing Care Needs also plans to end a postcode lottery. Instead of local councils and health trusts deciding which children are entitled to funding, the framework would see decisions based on a national set of criteria.
An Association of Children's Palliative Care spokeswoman said: "It is a real lottery at the moment, with funding left up to local decision-makers. It will potentially make a real difference to create a national set of guidelines for funding that all professionals can follow."
But she warned that the plans must be fully costed. "It could be that this is more cost effective, but it could mean more money. If that is the case we want to see firm assurances that care will be properly funded," she said.
A consultation has now launched on the plans, which cover funding for support at home, in school and in other community settings in England. The proposals emphasise the importance of multi-disciplinary teams to assess children's needs across education, health and social care. A similar framework is already in place for adults, but this is limited to health services.
Health minister Ben Bradshaw offered an assurance that, under the new arrangements, the funding process would be more transparent. The plans stipulate that parents and carers must be involved in decisions and given opportunities to appeal. "This framework will ensure the child and their family are kept at the heart of this process," he said.
Mark Robertson, head of information at the charity Contact a Family, said: "Parents are experts in their child's needs and their expertise should be utilised by all the agencies involved in their care. We have always said the assessment process should be transparent to give parents confidence in the system and enable them able to challenge decisions."
The consultation closes on 31 December.
www.cypnow.co.uk/doc.
