Aiming High for Disabled Children

Aiming High for Disabled Children is a new plan from the Government to help disabled children and their families get the support and chances they need to live ordinary family lives.

The Government is going to use Aiming High for Disabled Children to give more money to services for disabled children.

This is because The Government knows that there are lots of families of disabled children finding it really hard to get the support they need.

Rotherham's vision is for all disabled children and young people to have the same rights as all children.

In Rotherham we are proud to be Sector Champions for short break services.  This means that we have been asked to share our wide range or skills and experience in short breaks with other local authorities and groups across Yorkshire and Humberside.

What is a short break?

The Government is investing a large sum of money into the provision of Short Breaks for disabled children, young people and their carers.

A Short Break is:

• A good quality, positive activity that a disabled child or young person attends without their primary carer.
• A valuable and sometimes necessary break from caring responsibilities for the parents or carer of a disabled child or young person.

If you are a parent, carer or young disabled person and want to know more about activities available, you can contact the Families Information Service.

Find out more: What is a short break?

Find out more about short break services in Rotherham

Extending and improving short break services

Every year we produce a Needs Assessment which reviews the short break services that has been provided under Aiming High for Disabled Children.  We are also required to produce a Short Breaks Statement which sets out what services are available in each local area and how they have been designed to meet the needs of children and families.

The Needs Assessment and Short Breaks Statement contain information about the services that are available to meet the needs of disabled children in Rotherham:

• Details of the range of short breaks services provided
• How to access the criteria against which eligibility to services will be assessed
• How the range of services is designed to meet the needs of children, young people and carers in Rotherham.

Your views about Aiming High for Disabled Children are important to us. So far we have held a range of consultation events. These have been with children, young people, parents, carers and providers of services. We wanted your views about our present Short Breaks provision and your wishes for the future of these services. Feedback from these events and current consultations are published in our newsletter which is called The Exchange.

The objectives of Aiming High for Disabled Children in Rotherham include the need to ensure that no groups are disadvantaged in accessing services.  Based on our pervious knowledge that the uptake of short breaks services by Black and minority ethnic () disabled children and families was lower than our local population figures we commissioned Rotherham Ethnic Minority Alliance (REMA) to undertake a research project to help us understand why.  The research findings contained in the Aiming High for All Communities has helped us to commission services which meet the needs of disabled children from black and minority ethnic communities, and their families; and thus increase the number of children and families who benefit from a short break.

Early Support

Early Support is The Government programme to achieve better family focused services for young disabled children.

In Rotherham we want to encourage parents, carers and workers from a range of services to attend The Working in Partnership through Early Support training programme. Additional information is available if you are already in receipt of Early Support.  If you are already in receipt of early support and want to know more about the role of the lead worker you can find out more by contacting the Early Support Lead Worker Helpline.

Keeping parents and carers informed

The Exchange newsletter contains information and updates for parents and carers of a disabled child or young person.  If you would like to received a copy of the The Exchange please register your child or young perons by completing the Children's Disability Registration Form and return it to the address included on the form.

If you are a provider and wish to find out more about the commissioning of Short Breaks for disabled children, young people and their families, you can contact Paul Theaker on 01709 822547

Do you have a disabled child / child with special needs aged 0 to 8 years? If the answer is yes, then Early Support may help you.

Accessible swimming sessions for disabled children and families

Thank you to all children and families who took part in the accessible swimming pilot in 2011.  The family swimming sessions were a huge success thanks to partnership working between The Yours Project, DC Leisure and RMBC. 

To find out a little more about what happened and the next steps please download the Accessible Swimming Sessions Case Study.

Disabled Children's Fun Day

On 15 February 2012 (during the half term school holidays) Aiming High for Disabled Children partners held a Disabled Children's Fun Day at the newly opened MyPlace building in Rotherham town centre.  To find out what children, parents, carers and providers thought about the day please download our Fun Day Feedback.  Thank you to everyone who made this day a big success.

Rotherham Charter for Parent and Child Voice

The Charter consists of promises Rotherham schools and services are making to parents, carers, children and young people asking them to trust that they will always be valued partners and that what they think matters.  To find out more information please down load the background information.

What you should do if you are concerned about the safety or well-being of a child in Rotherham

If you are concerned that a child or young person is at immediate risk of harm then you should:

• Dial '999' and tell the Police

If you are concerned about a child or young person and want to tell us about your concerns; or if you want to speak to someone about your concerns; you can contact our Children's Access and Referral Team:

• Telephone: (01709) 823987
• Out of hours: (01709) 364689

 

---