Disabled Children (Hansard, 10 January 1995)

§ Mr. Alan Howarth
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many families with children with disabilities have been provided with respite care for each year since 1990; and what proportion has been provided to them in their own homes.

§ Mr. Bowis
The available information, which relates only to children accommodated by local authorities under section 20 of the Children Act 1989, is shown in the table. This does not include families whose children are not accommodated by local authorities, but may receive respite care under section 17 of the Act within their own homes or elsewhere.

Children accommodated by local authorities under section 20 of the Children Act 1989 because parents need relief from problems or Stresses of caring for children with disabilities, England.

Period¹ ending 31 March

1992 1993

Series of short term placements covered by one agreement² 1,600 3,600

Single placement²³ 900 1,400

¹ Periods 14 October 1991 to 31 March 1992 and 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993. No comparable information is available prior to implementation of the Act on 14 October 1991.

² Some children may be counted in both categories if their type of care changed during the period.

³ Most children in single placements were receiving long term care.

118W

§ Mr. Alan Howarth
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action her Department has taken since the publication of the Children Act report 1993 and the social services inspectorate report on the national inspection of services to disabled children and their families in 1994 to improve implementation of the Children Act 1989 with respect to these children and their families.

§ Mr. Bowis
Following the publication of "Services to Disabled Children and their Families" and other information about the implementation of the family support provisions of the Children Act the SSI organised six workshops across England to disseminate the findings and discuss with local authorities how improvements can be achieved.
Ninety two local authorities attended the workshops, and there was widespread commitment to seeking ways to improve services. A report of the worshop discussions is being prepared.
Our continuing interest in services for disabled children and their families is demonstrated by the inclusion of a further inspection in the SSI work programme for 1995–96. The findings will be published in due course.

Children accommodated by local authorities under section 20 of the Children Act 1989 because parents need relief from problems or Stresses of caring for children with disabilities, England.
	Period¹ ending 31 March
	1992	1993
Series of short term placements covered by one agreement²	1,600	3,600
Single placement²³	900	1,400
¹ Periods 14 October 1991 to 31 March 1992 and 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993. No comparable information is available prior to implementation of the Act on 14 October 1991.
² Some children may be counted in both categories if their type of care changed during the period.
³ Most children in single placements were receiving long term care.