4.31 Supporting Children with Disabilities and their Carers

1. Assessing and Supporting Children with Disabilities and their Carers

A crucial role of children’s social care is to provide help and support to children with disabilities and their families. When undertaking an assessment of a child with disabilities, practitioners should recognise the additional pressures on the family, and the distinct challenges they may have had to negotiate as a result of their child’s disability.

The assessment process should focus on the needs of the child and family, be strengths-based, and gather information to inform decisions on the help needed to:

• ensure the child achieves the best possible outcomes;
• enable the child’s family to continue in their caring role where that is right for the child;
• safeguard children in cases where there is abuse, neglect, and exploitation;
• ensure that appropriate practical support is in place to enable children with disabilities and their families to thrive.

The local authority must also consider whether it is necessary to provide support under section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. Where a local authority is satisfied that the identified services and assistance can be provided under section 2 of the Act, and it is necessary in order to meet the needs of a child with disabilities, it must arrange to provide that support.

Where a local authority is assessing the needs of a child with disabilities, a carer of that child may also require the local authority to undertake an assessment of their ability to provide, or to continue to provide, care for the child, under section 1 of the Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995. The local authority must take account of the results of any such assessment when deciding whether to provide services to the child.

2. Carer’s Assessments

If a local authority considers that a parent carer of a child with disabilities may have support needs, it must carry out an assessment under section 17ZD of the Children Act 1989. The local authority must also carry out such an assessment if a parent carer requests one. Such an assessment must consider whether it is appropriate for the parent carer to provide, or continue to provide, care for the child. The assessment should also take account of parent carer’s needs and wishes, and the specific needs and circumstances of the child resulting from their disability. Parent carers have the right to request an assessment under section 17ZD of the Children Act 1989, including where a child is not otherwise known to children’s social care. Local authorities must ensure they have a process to facilitate these assessments if requested.

3. Designated Social Care Officer (DSCO)

In line with the commitments made in the Special Educational Needs and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan, local authorities are encouraged to implement the role of Designated Social Care Officer (DSCO) in each local area. The DSCO role is intended to provide the capacity and expertise to improve the links between social care services and the SEND system. Similar to the Designated Clinical Officer (DCO) or Designated Medical Officer (DMO) role in health, the DSCO role will support both operational input (such as the contributions from care to education, health and care assessments) and more strategic planning functions (such as the commissioning of care services such as short breaks) for children with special educational needs and disabilities.