Policy Statements and Initiatives
HM Treasury: A package of policies to support disabled children and their families has been announced by the government alongside publication of the report - Aiming High for Disabled Children: Better Support for Families - part of the wider Policy Review of Children and Young People, which the government claims ‘sets out clear action across health, social services and education, to provide a better co-ordinated approach to service provision and enhance equality & opportunity for disabled children and their families’.
The Review commits the Government to boosting the provision of vital services and giving parents of disabled children a real choice in how they are delivered, underpinned by over £340 million of investment, by focusing on three priority areas:
- access & empowerment
- response services & timely support, and
- improving quality & capacity of services
Press release ~ Aiming High for Disabled Children: Better Support for Families ~ Council for Disabled Children ~ Complex Disability Exemplar ~ 'Able Authorities: the Disability Discrimination Act, Local Authorities and Disabled People' ~ Improv ing Information for Disabled People ~ Special Educational Consortium ~ National Parent Partnership Network ~ Special educational needs (SEN) - Parents Centre ~ National Association for Special educational needs
CLG: Local Government Minister Phil Woolas has announced a six point action plan to give people greater control over how key assets in their communities are run - from disused swimming baths to pubs & community centres.
The Opening the Transfer Window implementation plan challenges councils to maximise the transfer of public assets to communities in order to make services more responsive and create more confident empowered communities with greater civic spirit. It comes in response to a major report by Barry Quirk, Chief Executive of Lewisham Council last week.
Press release ~ Opening the Transfer Window: The Governments Response to the Quirk Review ~ Making assets work: The Quirk Review ~ Community Call for Action ~ Community Assets fund ~ CLG - Community Management and Ownership of Assets ~ CLG – Civil Renewal ~ Public Request to Order Disposal (PROD) ~ New Deal for Communities programme
Scottish Executive: Farming, environmental and other key interests were called together last week to discuss future investment in rural
Investment is directed to support key themes:
- improved farming and forestry viability
- environmental benefits (tackling climate change, enhanced landscape & biodiversity and improved water quality)
- thriving rural communities
Press release ~ Scottish Executive – Rural Development ~ Scottish Executive - Agriculture ~ Funding Q&As
