Development of a Survey on Services for Disabled Children.

A study was commissioned by the Department for Children, Schools and Families to assess whether it was possible to shape the new indicator around the views of parents of disabled children. This was among recommendations made in the government's Aiming High for Disabled Children programme to improve services, which launched last year.

The research found that a survey would help to measure council and primary care trust (PCT) effectiveness in providing services for children with disabilities.

The researchers recommend that the survey should be sent by post and be no more than 16 pages to maximise the number of returns. It should cover opinions relating to healthcare, social care and education services and focus on their experiences of services over 12 months. Areas of performance to be measured include how well services involve and inform parents.

The survey should be sent out to around 32,000 parents including 200 in each PCT and council area. Researchers say the best way to find respondents would be to use a variety of sources, including child benefit and the National Pupil Database, which includes details of pupils with special educational needs.

The results could be used to not only measure local performance but create the first national monitor of service improvement.

Researchers hoped that in the future a survey of disabled children and young people themselves could be developed to further enhance the indicator.

Christine Lenehan, director of the Council for Disabled Children and board member of Every Disabled Child Matters, said including the views of disabled children and young people was crucial to assessing performance.

She added: "The report is a welcome step towards developing an indicator that reflects the experiences of parents of disabled children."

AND MORE ...

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A higher proportion of children are problem gamblers compared to adults, according to latest Gambling Commission research. The commission calls for a public health campaign aimed at young people, offering support and advice on beating the addiction.

You can access these reports at www.cypnow.co.uk/doc.