§ Baroness Blatchasked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans they have to improve services for children with autism. [HL1724]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathChildren with autism will benefit from a range of initiatives we are taking to improve services for disabled children. As part of the Quality Protects programme, the Government set new national objectives for children's services which for the first time set out clear outcomes for children and in some instances give precise targets which local authorities are expected to achieve. These were updated in the Learning Disabilities White PaperValuing Peope, issued in March 2001.
Disabled children have been made a priority area in Quality Protects. The last spending review made substantial additional funding available for the Children's Services Grant, which now totals £180 million in 2001–02, £220 million in 2002–03 and £290 million in 2003–04. Of this, £60 million has been 193WA earmarked for services for disabled children and their families—£15 million in 2001–02 and 2002–03 and £30 million in 2003–04.
The Government have also announced that services for disabled children will be a key area to be addressed by the National Service Framework for Children.
The Special Educational Needs Code of Practice 2001 (which will be effective from 1 January 2002) provides strengthened and more focused advice on identifying, assessing and providing for children's special educational needs. Next year the Department for Education and Skills will also be publishing good practice guidance on aspects of provision for children with autism, mainly aimed at schools and local education authorities.