Thank you for contacting me about the health and social care services for disabled children and their families.
Any constituent who has specific concerns or needs in relation to this issue and who feels I might be able to help should contact my office to discuss raising individual issues as an individual case.
I am determined that disabled children and their families in the Calder Valley constituency should receive the support they need to lead fulfilling lives and be part of the community. I wholly support the excellent work this campaign is doing to highlight the reality of the challenges disabled children, young people and their families face in living a life many of us take for granted.
I can only imagine the additional challenges for disabled children and their families during the pandemic, and I welcome the work of the Disabled Children's Partnership in highlighting this issue through the Left in Lockdown campaign.
As part of the COVID-19 mental health and wellbeing recovery action plan, the Government announced £79 million of funding to improve access to mental health services for children and young people, including disabled children. This includes additional funding for Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges. Funding is also provided for respite care.
Further, supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families is a priority for this government, and their educational, physical and mental wellbeing remains central to our cross-government response to the COVID-19 outbreak. That is why education settings have remained open for children and young people with an education, health and care plan throughout periods of national lockdown.
The return to school for all pupils was prioritised due to the significant and proven impact caused by being out of school, including on wellbeing. The support schools provide to their pupils as they return to face-to-face education should include time devoted to supporting wellbeing, which will play a fundamental part in supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing recovery. The expectations for schools in this regard are set out clearly in the main Department for Education guidance to schools, which also signposts further support, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-t….
While I was unable to attend the event on 14 May, I would welcome any further information you could share with me about this important issue.
I am encouraged by the commitment to improve opportunities and life chances for all children and young people, and I know that health and care services play an integral part in achieving this.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
Craig Whittaker MP
June 2021