Aiming High for Disabled Children (AHDC)
Aiming High for Disabled Children is the govement’s transformation programme for disabled children’s services. Supported by substantial new funding and measures designed to make the system work better, the AHDC programme aims to deliver:
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Access and empowerment for disabled children and families
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Responsive services and timely support
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Improved service quality and capacity
There are five workstreams within Aiming High for Disabled Children:
The core offer sets out minimum standards on information, transparency, assessment, participation and feedback. These standards make it clear what entitlements and services disabled children, young people and their families can expect, and how they should experience those services.
The disabled children's services national indicator (NI 54) looks at parental experiences of services for disabled children and young people aged 0 to 19 and the extent to which these services are delivered according to core offer standards. The indicator is a core part of performance-management arrangements aimed at improving the quality of services for disabled children. This is a key priority of the Child Health and Well-bing Public Service Agreement (PSA12). This indicator is included in the National Indicator Set (NIS) and the NHS Operating Framework Vital Signs indicator set.
The indicator is being measured for the second time during the summer of 2009. Values for the first indicator were published earlier this year by the DCSF. The first report, published on 13 May 2009, sets out the overall findings from a national sample survey of parents of disabled children in England conducted during January - March 2009. The second report was published on 10 June 2009.
There is detailed information about Aiming High for Disabled Children on the Every Child Matters website.
Every Disabled Child Matters (EDCM)
Every Disabled Child Matters
is a campaign by four leading organisations working with disabled children and their families – Contact a Family, Council for Disabled Children (CDC), Mencap and the Special Educational Consortium (SEC). to get rights and justice for every disabled child.
EDCM plans to will challenge politicians and policy-makers to make good on the Government’s commitment that every child matters.
As part of the EDCM campaign local authorities and PCTs are encouraged to sign up to the voluntary Every Disabled Child Matters Charter (which can be be downloaded from the document list below).
Documents
Aiming High for Disabled Children
Aiming High for Disabled Children (easy read version)
Aiming High for Disabled Children - Best Practice to Common Practice (June 2009) provides an update on the key developments in the programme since the launch.
Aiming High for Disabled Children - Delivering the Core Offer Standards (June 2009) sets out delivery milestones for the core offer at first stage, in development and advanced levels.
NI54 first national report (May 2009)
NI54 - progress report (June 2009)
Every Disabled Child Matters (EDCM) Local Authority Charter
Every Disabled Child Matters (EDCM) PCT Charter
Websites
Every Child Matters / Aiming High for Disabled Children
Every Disabled Child Matters
Council for Disabled Children
Page last updated July 2009