Background to the Local Authority Charter

Each commitment in the Local Authority Charter is based on existing legislation and guidance.

The Charter aims to bring together this legislation and guidance and refocus the work of local authorities on the services that they provide to disabled children and their families.

Below we list the original legislation or guidance that each commitment in the Local Authority Charter comes from.

Underpinning requirements for the EDCM Local Authority Charter:

• We know how many disabled children live in our area and that all agencies in our area are planning services on the basis of this knowledge. (Children Act 1989 / National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Families Standard 8)
  
• There is a key worker service in our authority providing support to families who are accessing more than one specialist service. (National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Families Standard 8)
  
• Our parent partnership service is sufficiently resourced to provide advice, information and support to parents of disabled children and young people who have been excluded from school. (Exemplification of minimum standards)
  
• Parents and carers in our area are getting accurate and timely information and advice on the full range of services available to them and their families. (Aiming High for Disabled Children, Core Offer)
  
• All staff have received both disability equality training and training to ensure that they have core competencies to work with disabled children; relevant staff have received specialist training and other staff know how to contact them for information. (Disability Discrimination Act 1995 / 2005)
  
• Disabled children are involved in drawing up our Disability Equality Scheme and also in monitoring its effectiveness in eliminating discrimination. (Disability Discrimination Act 2005)
  
• Our Children and Young People’s Plan explains how we will provide specialist services and also make all universal services including extended schools and children’s centres accessible to disabled children. (National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Families Standard 8 and Children’s Plan)
  
• Our Local Area Agreement includes targets for the level of service to be delivered to families with a disabled child. (Children’s Plan)
  
• Disabled children and families are involved in the planning, commissioning and monitoring of services in our area, including both specialist and universal services. (National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Families Standard 8)