Core Offer and national indicator
Alongside the substantial funding for the Aiming High for Disabled Children programme the Government has introduced measures to make the system work better for disabled children, young people and their families. Key to the system transformation is the Core Offer and the disabled children's national indicator.
Core Offer
The Core Offer sets out in one place a national statement of expectations for how disabled children and their families will be informed and involved as their needs are assessed and the necessary services are delivered. The Core Offer covers:
- Information and Transparency
- Assessment
- Participation and Feedback
The standards in the Core Offer provide clarity on what entitlements and services disabled children, young people and their families can expect in every area.
Information, advice and guidance
Core
Offer
This set of documents includes: national Core Offer standards and Core
Offer implementation materials to help Local Authorities and PCTs develop their
local Core Offer.
Disabled children's national indicator
The disabled children's national indicator (NI 54) will look at parental experiences of services for disabled children and young people aged 0 to 19. The new indicator will be 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-Being Public Service Agreement (PSA12). This indicator is included in the National Indicator Set (NIS) and the NHS Operating Framework Vital Signs indicator set.
DCSF has commissioned the National Centre for Social Research to help develop the methodology of the survey that will underpin the indicator. A decision on the form of the indicator will be taken in Autumn 2008 and the indicator will be measured for the first time at local level in 2009/10. It will assess parents' general experience of disabled children's services delivering to the Core Offer standards. A briefing on the indicator explains the current position further.
Parents forums
Parents forums will provide more opportunities for parents to shape the services their families receive in every area. Together for Disabled Children, a coalition between Serco and Contact a Family, will distribute funding to support the development of parent forums.
This page was last updated on 10 June 2008
