CYP Now - NCB Now: Comment - The Government must deliver on short breaks

Despite five hours of debate and being supported by MPs from all parties, the Disabled Children (Family Support) Bill failed to get its second reading. The Government and the opposition front bench said they could not support the Bill, primarily on the grounds of cost.

The Every Disabled Child Matters campaign is extremely disappointed. Wefirmly believe that improving services for families with disabledchildren requires both new resources and new entitlements.

However, we were pleased that MP Parmjit Dhanda recognised the scale ofthe challenge and stated that "much more can be and must be done". Heconfirmed that "in a great many areas, short breaks are simply notmeeting needs" and concluded that the Bill had greatly raised theprofile of short break services.

Dhanda also offered important commitments, including new nationaltargets for disabled children, bringing forward policy proposals onshort breaks as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review, andcommissioning guidance to spread best practice. He also clarified thatthe emergency respite fund in the New Deal for Carers will be availablefor families with disabled children.

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